In Hands Hard to Trust
by Appaku
Summary: AU, SPOILERS. Now occupied by Kutou and believing their priestess dead, Konan has given up on summoning Suzaku. Still a child clinging to hope, Hotohori's son Boushin tracks down the remaining warriors to see what went wrong 10 years ago. As regrets surface and forces outside Konan act, fulfilling destiny seems compelling. The possible horrific fate of the UotFG may deter that.
1. The Boy Emperor

**Author Fangirling: **Hello, readers! Remember me? From forever ago? It's been a long absence, but I was attacked by a pack of plot bunnies and found myself writing again.

This is going to be another epic, using the majority of the original cast at some point or another. It is AU, but you can assume everything holds true from the original series until changes start at episode 44 of the anime. I have also made use of several elements from the Eikoden OVA (for those who have not seen it, Mayo is not an OC, but was the rather unlikable main character of that OVA-but perhaps her unlikability is why she was so much fun to write). I really liked Eikoden for all of the fanfiction material it introduced, but I found a lot of other elements stupid and just ignored them. As long as you've seen at least the original anime (preferably to the end), then it should not be too hard to follow, but it is worth noting that Boushin-Hotohori's son-was introduced in the first OVAs-and the manga, for that matter.

I dedicate this fic to all the fans who, like me, have thought too long and too hard about Fushigi Yuugi. Expect fairly consistent updates-I'm thinking weekly. Happy reading (and reviewing)! -_Appa_

* * *

The legend said that that a priestess was to come from another world and summon Suzaku with the help of her seven celestial warriors, and that Konan would be saved.

The young emperor Reizeitei—Boushin-could tell there was more to it than he was being told.

He grew up being told about the valor of his father, the previous emperor, who was also the celestial warrior known as Hotohori. He was remembered for being gallant—but he was only that: remembered. As far as Boushin understood, he fell in battle taking a final stand against the Seiryuu warrior Nakago, after which the fighting ended and peace terms were arranged. The terms meant Kutou could occupy Konan as it pleased, and not interfere with its politics so long as additional taxes were paid to Kutou.

That was in the past, and he could only rely on what he was told to try to understand it. The present was clearer: Konan was not quite the flourishing country his father would have remembered, his father's murderer was now the emperor of an occupying country, and Suzaku—the savior of Konan—had never been summoned. Boushin was a child, but smart to figure out that if the legend was true, then something had gone wrong.

His mother and his cabinet of counselors tried to protect him by keeping him ignorant. It was a strange thing to do when he was already seated on the highest throne of power in the country and attending regular meetings to discuss matters of great importance. He had only recently become active in the conversation—or at least comfortable enough to voice any opinions. Regardless of the responsibility they carried together, outside of the chambers and halls where they discussed the country's affairs, the counselors treated him as if they were doting uncles.

Counselor Shu was among the oldest. "Your Highness's profile resembles his so much," he would dab a handkerchief to his wrinkled eyes. "It's so beautiful it moves me to tears."

"Please, Counselor Shu, that's not necessary…"

One of Boushin's favorites was Counselor Chou. He was his—as well as his father's—sword play instructor. Though he had grown a jolly gut in his age, he was still too fast for Boushin to best.

"Not bad, Your Highness," he'd smile. "But not quite as fast as your father. You are getting closer."

"I'm not a Suzaku warrior, so I do not have that advantage," smiled Boushin proudly as he wiped away his sweat.

"Enough of this Suzaku business," Counselor Chou's mood soured. "You are fine relying on your own strength." Boushin had already figured out that Counselor Chou was not the right person to go to for questions about the legend of Suzaku.

The youngest of the counselors was Counselor Ou, who had only joined the cabinet three years before, making him rather inexperienced compared to the rest of the veterans—especially considering he had never been posted anywhere else. Though he was usually quiet, the others all favored his opinion when he voiced one, saying that he probably knew best what Boushin's father would have wanted. _But how would he know that?_ Boushin would wonder, somewhat irritated. _He would have only been a child when my father was alive. _

The other person with the most influence was Boushin's mother, Houki. She was a fair-minded and regal empress, but would not hold back any tenderness for her son. When Boushin wanted to know more about the past, he knew she was the one most likely to tell him.

"Mother," he asked her one night as she stroked his back, settling him off to bed. "If my father was one the legendary warriors, then he must have met the priestess in his lifetime, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did meet her. I met her, too. It was about ten years ago, before you were born."

"You did? Then she _was _here! What was she like? Why didn't she summon Suzaku?"

"Boushin," her tone fell, "summoning Suzaku was not a simple task. She traveled very far trying to accomplish it, but the war was outside of her power to stop."

"But the war is over. Why couldn't she summon Suzaku after the war? We still need his power to stop these droughts and blights—and get rid of our occupiers so that the tax burden can be lifted!"

"She isn't with us anymore."

"Why? Did she go back to her world?"

"No, my darling. She died."

Boushin felt his stomach sink. "W-Why can't we just have a new priestess? If the other one failed, maybe she was never the priestess of legend at all. Maybe there are new warriors to find!"

"Boushin," she spoke softly and sternly at the same time. "Before your father went to battle, he said that Konan should have relied on its own strength rather than Suzaku's. Suzaku only grants three wishes, but the enduring strength of Konan is found in its people."

That was her way of telling him that was all he would get to know for the time being. Not from her, anyway. That didn't stop him from looking through books to see what was written about the legend, and when he had rare moments to himself, he would visit the shrine of Suzaku, where he would always be alone with his imagination.

Except, to Boushin's surprise, today there was someone else in the shrine.

"Your Highness," said Counselor Ou, who was just as surprised to see him. With a bow, he asked him if there was anything he needed.

"Counselor Ou, what are you doing here?"

"I'm taking care of the shrine. Even while Suzaku is not here, it does not seem right to let it feel that way."

"Of course Suzaku isn't here. He was never summoned."

"That's because he was sealed."

"Sealed? Then can he be unsealed?"

"I don't know."

_You don't know anything, Counselor Ou._

Another time, Boushin was in the imperial library looking for whatever records he could find, but the plentitude of seemingly meaningless text made his search difficult. A set of records from the year of his birth looked promising, but they were frustratingly out of reach. Another hand appeared above his, however, and pulled a book down for him. Counselor Ou was at his side and tried to smile, but glanced away when the boy made unsmiling eye contact. "These shelves weren't made for short people."

Boushin didn't appreciate that comment, and immediately said something to be taken seriously. "If there is some possibility of unsealing Suzaku, we must find out what that is!"

"Even if that could be done," the counselor frowned and began to walk away. "It would be impossible to summon Suzaku now."

"How do you know that?" snapped Boushin in a less patient tone than he usually took with his cabinet. "I don't think it's impossible simply because the priestess died!"

"Your Highness, please do not let this matter trouble you."

Boushin held his tongue. It would still be some time before he would have enough influence to shape his cabinet, and still some before he would have enough power to make his own decisions. Emperor or not, he was still a child.

* * *

"Hey, Sakaki. Wait up!"

Mayo tensed at the sound of her name. It was another annoying teacher feigning concern for her and trying to look good. Actually, he was the only one, but it was easier to feel irritated than to feel grateful. "What is it, Coach?"

"It didn't seem like you had your head in the game today. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, just a little tired."

"Oh. Up late studying?"

"No, my parents kept me up."

"Oh," his smile fell. "Arguing?"

"As usual."

"That's difficult," he struggled. "Would it be helpful if I said anything?"

"No, they'll just get mad at me," she turned. "Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine."

"If you say so. You can always come to me if you just want to talk, okay?"

"Alright, Coach. I'll be sharper in the next game," she feigned a smile, hoping that would be enough to make him go away, but he followed her out of the school grounds. "Do you not have work to do tonight?"

"No, I wrapped up early. I've got a get-together with some friends."

"Oh," she said, but somehow it made her angry to think that teachers might have their own lives. As she suspected, their interest in their students' lives was only skin deep. "Have a good time."

"You too, Sakaki. Have a good night."

_Sure I will,_ she mentally retorted.

Keisuke went on to the station, and from there across town, watching his old university out the window, and then watching Yui's university go by before reaching his destination.

"You're late, Keisuke," she groaned at him when he walked out of the station.

"It's not as if you two would mind, I'm sure!"

"Knock it off," Tetsuya jibed, and the three continued on their way. They stopped in front of the public library, which had already closed for the night. The air was frigid and still. As if it were routine, Tetsuya set up a stick of incense in the parking lot, and the three silently watched it burn. Once it was extinguished, they continued on to a casual restaurant and started chatting again.

"It's already been four years," Yui sighed and stared off. "I still feel like I'm in junior high school every time we come back."

"Yeah," agreed Keisuke. Miaka felt further and further away each time they commemorated the anniversary of when she went into the book, and he could only picture her being stuck in junior high school forever. Though he and Tetsuya followed everything as it happened, it was not as if they could tell anyone else what had happened to her. She had been reported missing, and after the police searched in vain, the case was dismissed. Yui, Keisuke, and Tetsuya were the only ones who could confide in each other about the Universe of the Four Gods.

"You still have it, right?" she asked.

"Have what?"

"The book."

"I haven't let it go anywhere," Keisuke answered. "The library isn't going to come looking for it."

"Have you read it at all?" asked Tetsuya.

"Well, not really. Would you?"

"Well, yeah! It makes you wonder what the others are doing! And—oh," he smiled sheepishly and looked over to the girl at his side. "Never mind."

"It's alright. I asked because I was starting to think that I was curious too… but not that much."

"Nakago's still around, probably."

"Nakago," she scoffed and shook her head.

"Do you want me to take a look?"

"No. I don't think I want to know after all."

"Still, the book is about a series of four gods being summoned by four priestesses. At this rate it will never end," Tetsuya sighed. "Do you think maybe things happened out of order? According to the timeline inside the book, it happened every hundred years or so, but you and Miaka were there at the same time. I wonder if you weren't supposed to go until later."

"What, you think I was supposed to be a priestess ten years from now? I get the feeling that once you graduate high school you're not priestess material anymore!"

"What would _that_ imply?"

"Not what _you're_ implying, Keisuke."

"Then I guess that means you've retired."

"Happy to. It'll never leave me, though," she looked down to her plate. "The time has just flown by. High school was a blur, and empty. I'm grateful you two have always been there for me."

"I'm glad we were too," Tetsuya took her hand, and she shot him a fond smile. He and Keisuke had both become her best friends, and thankfully the fact that she and Tetsuya were dating didn't exclude Keisuke much. The thought of love driving friends apart was something that still made her shudder.

* * *

Another day, another set of problems to address. Only being a child, it was forgivable if Boushin wasn't listening. He knew he should have taken an interest, but was preoccupied thinking about how much simpler it would be to solve Konan's problems by figuring out how to fulfill the legend. _Suzaku was sealed? Was he sealed when the priestess died?_

"Your Highness?" Counselor Shu asked.

"Yes?"

"Were you listening?"

"Yes… I… trust your opinions on this matter."

The counselors looked to each other with smiles and shrugs. "Perhaps you would like to take a rest, Your Highness. We do not have much to discuss today."

Boushin merely agreed. He wandered to his room, then idly strolled through the garden, his mind awash with everything he knew about the legend. A priestess from another world, seven warriors to serve her, a ceremony, a sealed god…

A sealed god, a dead priestess, and at least one dead warrior who left behind a country at war.

That was where his mind would stop. Frustrated, he crouched down at the water's edge, next to the pavilion on the pond. It was not a regal spot for someone of his status and he risked getting his robes muddy, but he craved a different perspective. While watching the water at that angle, he heard a pair of footsteps approaching the pavilion, and a couple of voices. One belonged to his mother, he was sure of that much.

"He went to the shrine?"

"Yes. He's likely there often."

"Oh my, he's so curious."

"Yes, he is."

"Thank you for keeping the shrine a nice place for him, Chiriko."

Boushin put a hand to his mouth to keep from yelling in shock—he had heard that name before. Very slowly, so as not to make a sound, he peered up over the floor of the pavilion to see who was speaking on the veranda.

Not even an hour later, Boushin approached him.

"Your Highness?" the young man looked to the boy. "May I help you with anything?"

"Counselor Ou," he said in a low voice, gathering his confidence. "I demand that you tell me everything about the Priestess of Suzaku and the Suzaku warriors." Boushin's fist shook with fear that he had said something wrong, as he was usually careful not to. However, even for all the information kept from him, this much he felt sure about. "After all, you're one of them yourself."

Counselor Ou stared at him for a moment, then down to the floor with a frown. "I was."

_I was right! _"It's not as if you're not one anymore if you were before. Now please, tell me everything."

"…everything?"

"Yes, I demand to hear everything!"

"Is something the matter here?" Counselor Shu joined them with a smile, having heard Boushin's rarely raised voice from around the hall.

"Oh, Counselor Shu," the other looked to him with just as light of a smile. "His Highness has found me out."

"Oh, did he? What gave you away?"

"I'm not sure about that myself."

"I don't believe that's important," the young emperor asserted, a bit irritated that this wasn't a surprise to anyone. "The truth makes itself known eventually, and I would appreciate it if you would stop trying to delay it."

"The truth comes in good time, Your Highness," counseled the older man. "We did not want to bother you with something that is of no consequence now."

"That is precisely why I _should_ bother with it now, before Suzaku is completely forgotten!" he began to lose patience. "I understand that you may have been trying to protect me, but I am ready to know what happened. I am ready to fix it for the sake of my people!"

By this time, more of the cabinet had wandered in at the sound, and they looked to each other with mixed expressions. Boushin continued, "Counselor Ou, this is why I am _ordering_ you to—ow!" He was cut off by a shot of pain through his ear, as Houki had come up behind him and pinched him.

"Your Highness, have I not taught you not abuse your power?" she hissed. "Apologize to Counselor Ou."

"Mother! I'm not doing this for my own sake, I'm doing it for Konan!"

"You're only doing it for your own childish curiosity."

"Mother!"

"Then you're not going to take him seriously?" said Counselor Ou. The room became silent.

Houki frowned and stepped away from Boushin. "Your counselors and I will discuss this."

"I believe His Highness and I are the only ones concerned," Counselor Ou once again silenced everyone, but only temporarily.

"Chiriko," Houki said firmly, "Come with me."

Boushin waited. The counselors, always on tight nerves when the royal family was upset, made passing comments either telling the boy not to worry or to leave it be, or even offering to tell him other stories. Normally, he would have felt guilty to make his mother angry, but this time he felt strangely satisfied. After all, he was right—there was something he had a right—a responsibility—to know.

Despite this satisfaction, he automatically stood at attention when his mother entered his bedroom. Counselor Ou and a few of the others were behind her. "My son," she said, "Your counselor has something to tell you."

The young counselor didn't look like he had much to say as he stared at the floor. "Your Highness," he did say, "I will take you to find out what happened."

In his boyish excitement, Boushin barely kept from jumping up in glee. "Then let's hurry and go to the shrine! I want to hear everything!"

"No, Boushin," Houki almost broke into a giggle, "You'll be gone much longer than that. You're going to meet the other surviving warriors."

_Out of the palace…?_

"Of course, I'll be leading your parade of guards," Counselor Chou confidently said, but Counselor Ou quickly shook his head.

"No. Only His Highness may come."

The counselors present instantly broke into a heated argument, and even Houki had to raise her voice to be heard. "I have already decided to allow him to go! There will be no more discussion!"

"But Your Highness, surely you wouldn't risk—"

"I trust him!" she retorted. "And I respect the warriors' secrets. It is an honor meant only for His Highness—for Boushin."

"Mother," he looked to her with wide eyes. "Is there more that you did not know?"

"It sounds that way," she turned her head from the young counselor, who shyly continued to stare at the floor.

"I'm sorry, everyone," he said in a low voice. "It is only because His Highness has so ardently ordered this."

"And," Counselor Shu continued, "because he is the only child of any of the Suzaku warriors."

"That we know of, anyway," added Counselor Chou. "Make sure you inform Master Chichiri and Master Tasuki that they are still welcome here—there is no need for them to be so silent!"

"I will inform them."

"Honestly," the stout one put a hand to his forehead. "We all know it's hopeless now, but there is no need to pretend nothing ever happened. Please allow this His Highness to know the story, and then let's all move on."

In the days that followed, Boushin bubbled with excitement and was especially attentive to his tasks, eager to please everyone. He counted down the days and playfully imagined how exciting life outside the capital would be, and how he would get to see the Suzaku warriors bravely ward off danger. Maybe even quiet Counselor Ou would surprise him with his valiance!

Houki smiled while watching him parry around his room with a pretend sword wielded against imaginary enemies. "I'm pleased to see that you are willing to take care of yourself. You will need to be very aware of your surroundings while you are traveling alone with Chiriko."

"Of course, Mother."

"Boushin," she said sharpened her tone to get his attention. "Assume that you will need to take care of yourself."

At this he stopped. "What do you mean, Mother?"

"We are all very proud of Chiriko and pleased to have him as an imperial official," she tried to force a smile over a frown. "However, he is not quite as capable as he once had the potential to be. Are you surprised?"

"Well," he paused, "No, he never did seem like the most competent official."

"Boushin!"

"If you didn't mean to call him slow, then what did you mean, Mother?"

Defeated, she sighed. "Chiriko—you can call him that—was only a few years older than you when the priestess came to our country. When his mark appeared, then he was a child prodigy—he passed the first two levels of the kakyo exams before he had even turned twelve!"

"He did?"

"Yes, he did! But his personality changed when his mark disappeared. He wasn't even close to how bright you are. Suzaku was sealed, and with him, the warriors' powers," her gaze sank, but she continued in the same bittersweet tone. "So as not to waste the others' sacrifices, Chiriko continued studying after the war—he had to work as hard as a normal person would to pass the exams. He spent seven years studying before he passed the final level and was allowed to join the imperial officials, and we all took great heart in having him here."

"…Even if he wasn't competent?"

"Boushin!"

"But you just said he wasn't as bright anymore."

"What I meant is that he is not quite as sharp," she retorted, ignoring that it sounded exactly the same. "That is why you need to look after yourself as well."

"Very well. I won't call attention to myself, I will avoid anyone who looks like trouble, and I won't speak to anyone one I do not know."

She had a wry smile, sarcastically wondering how she managed to survive her own childhood in such a dangerous place. "It _is _your country, my son, so I hope you can enjoy it. After all, your father did love it," she trailed off, and then looked to the door when a servant appeared, whom she beckoned in. The servant was carrying a long, wrapped item on a tray. Houki carefully picked it up and presented it to Boushin with two hands. "I would like you to take this with you."

The boy had an inkling what it was before unwrapping it, but he was still dazzled when he saw the shine on the red sheath. "This is my father's sword! I've seen it in the shrine of Suzaku!"

"I believe he would like you to have it," she said and felt her eyes tingle on the brink of tears. "He must be so proud of you."

"He _would_ be, you mean."

"No. I'm sure he's always been watching you."

The day to leave soon arrived. Two horses had been prepared and stocked with traveling supplies, and Boushin was given a new outfit—a commoner's outfit, he was told, and while the counselors found it regrettable he should wear it, Boushin hid his excitement about the new and different attire. The bags on the horses looked exciting, too—so many of them! They must be going to very ends of the nation! Maybe even to the rumored Mount Taikyoku he had heard about!

The horses already had a lot to carry, but Boushin was proud to be carrying the sword himself. He had the idea of carrying it inside of sack so that it would be safe from anyone else's eyes, but he was nervous that the amount they carried would draw attention anyway.

Perhaps what really bothered him about the number of bags was how long of a journey they implied. They never had discussed what the length of the journey would be.

Counselor Ou—or Chiriko, as Boushin was trying to get used to calling him—was also dressed in less than his usual fine robes, and mounted his horse first as the cabinet lined up to see the emperor off. Counselor Shu was crying, and others were telling him about customs and habits of the inhabitants of Konan outside the capital.

"Common people are not so mystifying," joined Houki, "Their lifestyle is only different from what you are accustomed to in the palace. Despite the harsh conditions, they have joy."

"Mother, you're here."

"Did you think I would not see you off?" she smiled. Boushin's heart instantly felt heavy. It was the first time he had ever left his mother, and he wasn't sure when he would see her again. Without managing a word, he ran to embrace her and bury his face into her dress. She stroked the back of his head, and then pulled him away to look down to his face. "Go and learn, my darling. Learn about your people and their past, and the country you have inherited. Just promise me you'll come back safely."

Boushin only nodded.


	2. Bandits

Counselor Chou helped Boushin up onto his horse, and with a final farewell, he and Chiriko left the palace grounds and weaved their way through the capital, and eventually past the outskirts of the city. Boushin had seen the capital itself on parades, but never anything beyond it—the busy streets that were once fascinating were familiar enough that he kept looking forward instead of around at the people, even though it might have been one of his first chances to see what their lives were like when they were not fixated on him. He had more extreme places he wanted to see—villages crippled by drought, ravaged by thieves, and decimated by disease. Those were the people he needed Suzaku to save!

Of course, he was also excited to get beyond the busy streets so that he and Chiriko would have the freedom to start discussing their purpose. He was anticipating the stories Chiriko would tell of the others' valor and adventures, and imagined that even if they talked for the entire journey, he would still not hear it all.

To his dismay, Chiriko was silent, apart from his heavy breathing. His face was flushed red as sweat poured down, and he looked as if he would collapse at any moment. _That's disappointing,_ the boy's spirits dropped. I_ thought he would be more like a warrior._

Chiriko finally spoke up. "Your Highness," he panted. "Perhaps you would like to take a rest?"

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine. And please, call me by my personal name."

"If it's alright, Boushin, I think there may be a restaurant not far from here. Would you like to stop for lunch?"

"We've already packed lunch, so we should be able to cover more distance before nightfall."

"Your… Boushin, nightfall is still many hours away…"

He wasn't going to get anything out of his traveling companion at this rate. "Chiriko, if you need to get out of the sun, you can just say so."

"Yes, please. Just a few minutes."

They found a clearing where some trees provided broken shade, and tying their horses to the branches, they both settled down at the trunk. Chiriko gulped some water and then took a deep breath, exhausted.

Boushin didn't bother hiding his disappointment as he glowered. "Were you really a Suzaku warrior?"

"I've spent the majority of the past decade behind a stack of books. I'm not used to this anymore."

"I know. You're not quite the warrior you once were."

They sat quietly a few minutes looking out at the road and listening to the horses clop their feet and swish their tails at the flies around them. Chiriko's heavy breathing was no longer audible.

"Hey, Chiriko," he started, "What was being a warrior like?"

Collecting his thoughts, he did not answer immediately. "…I remember I had a strong sense of purpose."

"To protect the priestess?"

"Not that I did much of that. Rather, I felt driven to serve Konan. After Suzaku was sealed I lost some of that motivation, but the memories I had with His Majesty and the others inspired me to keep trying. I miss them very much."

"Do you miss your priestess too?"

"Miaka," he stared off. "Even now, she is still my priestess and I am still her warrior."

Chiriko's indirect answers made Boushin feel unsettled. "Who is the first warrior we're going to meet?"

"I was thinking I'd take you to Tamahome's grave. A lot would become clearer to you there."

"Tamahome," he repeated, "he was also killed by Nakago, wasn't he?"

"Yes. He and Hotohori were two of the only ones capable of confronting Nakago alone; perhaps Chichiri might have also. If only his powers had not been sealed, I'm sure the outcome of his battle would have been different. Nakago was already weakened by the time Hotohori went out to face him, but he deeply regretted not having gone sooner—if not to help Tamahome fight, then to at least have stopped Miaka."

"Did Nakago murder the priestess as well?"

"No."

_Then stop her from what? She couldn't have chosen to kill herself, could she? Is that what everyone has kept from me? _"My father did not succeed in killing Nakago. Why did the war end after that? Kutou could have easily won."

"It's my understanding that ultimately dominating Konan was not his goal. When the other surviving warriors and I traveled there as peace envoys, we learned more about Kutou's unstable political state. They were not blessed with wise emperors like Konan has been. Nakago had used the war as a tactic to disrupt power in his own capital."

"Then we were a scapegoat!" Boushin yelled and stood up in anger.

"He used us for many things back then; you could even say he couldn't have done it without us. We never succeeded in summoning Suzaku, but our efforts allowed Seiryuu to be summoned," Chiriko shook with head with a vacant smile. "He had least had the sense to stop when he realized we could do no more for him."

"But he still rules Kutou and collects taxes from Konan, and their biggest problem might only be that they don't want immigrants fleeing from Konan."

"There are food shortages in some areas, but in general the people aren't miserable. Once you make some friends outside of the capital, you might understand their lives a bit better."

_Friends?_ He inwardly laughed away the thought, and turned to untie his horse. "I believe we've rested enough. Let's keep going."

* * *

Kutou was indeed safe. It was safe and happy did not have much use for an imperial army when there was no conquesting to be done. Nakago, the emperor, had said that he did not want to waste resources on wars the people were tired of and that it would make them more likely to rebel. After years of rebuilding, Kutou was thriving—and Suboshi was bored.

It was mostly a formality based on his rank as a surviving Seiryuu warrior, but he was a general in the imperial army. He kept his troops disciplined and in shape, but otherwise they had very little purpose. Suboshi himself did not even have much decision-making power—as Nakago said, the most efficient way to run a country was through a single dictator. What was the point in Suboshi being there, just beating on his troops every day? Surely it would do no harm to take a trip out on his own somewhere, far away—like Sairou.

He hated to admit that he was still too afraid of Nakago to ask permission. Even though Suboshi would plan on coming back, Nakago did not trust anyone. And if Suboshi dared to stay away, would Nakago be livid enough to go after him?

The general at least took some solace in the fact that he had a secret Nakago didn't know about. In the safety of his own private quarters, he pulled a decorative bow out of the inside pocket of his tunic. The color had faded only slightly over the years, and to any other person there would be no trace of her, but Suboshi could still call to mind Yui's scent when he breathed in its smell.

He was the only one left in his entire world with any connection her. It was his, and not even Nakago could take that away. Suboshi would not let him.

* * *

Hours had gone by, and it finally was getting dark. "Tamahome's grave isn't something we'll reach today, is it?"

"I'm sorry, I thought it would be…" he trailed off and looked around anxiously at the thickening trees.

"Could it have been moved?"

"They couldn't have razed the entire village since the last time I was here!"

"Does this look like the right place?"

"…No, it looks like we've wound up in the mountains instead."

_Wound up!? _Boushin mentally yelled back at him. "Could we be lost?"

"It does appear we went in a different direction that I originally intended, but this route can still take us there in a couple of days."

_You put us days off course!_

"Please do not worry, we can be assured of our safety in most of the mountain passages."

The instant Chiriko said that, he and his horse disappeared. Boushin's horse reared back in surprise, and the boy hurriedly dismounted to run and see where his chaperone had gone. Shaking in his steps, he carefully approached the spot he had been, and saw that there was a large ditch where the road should have been. Chiriko was inside, unconscious.

Boushin jerked away from the edge of the ditch, and his fearful mind fragmented his thoughts so that he could not think clearly about whether to try to rescue him or run away. He sensed danger, and heard footsteps approaching-many shifty footsteps.

The time to use his father's sword had already come. The sword itself seemed to move freely out of the sheath, and Boushin clenched it readily. Once his enemies saw that he was armed, they came forward quickly from the shadows. Even though Boushin expected them, he was still startled by their aggressiveness, and had to scream to clear his thoughts and charge. His sword clanged against a dagger when he met the first attacker, and he had to exert himself to throw him off before a second one came from behind him that he had to block. He needed more room before he could strike—taking a step backwards, he—

…found himself in the air, dangling by his ankle well above the attackers' heads.

The men who had attacked pointed and laughed at him in their trap, and then moved on to the ditch where Chiriko was. Struggle though he might, he could only watch helplessly as they rummaged through the bags they had brought. Soon his head was uncomfortably heavy, and he began to fade, and could only focus all of his effort on holding on to Hotohori's sword. The moment he lost consciousness, however, it fell to the dirt.

* * *

Yui had returned to life as usual—attending class, going to her part-time job, and looking forward to her next date with Tetsuya. It had gotten more difficult to do that since he started his new job at a large company, and being on the bottom most rank, he frequently had no choice but to stay late. He had suggested she join a club at school, but Yui wasn't sure yet what she would be interested in. She had friends on the surface, but no one she would stay up all night talking with or ditch school with or have around to pounce on her with love. Miaka was irreplaceable, and perhaps a part of Yui was afraid to make friends with someone new and let them know her secrets.

Of course, she didn't bury those secrets herself. Keisuke and Tetsuya gave her the dirt and shovels with which to hide it, and they were careful not to bring it up more than necessary once they had all decided they had processed it enough to move on. In the first year, there had been many conversations about how the book had always followed Miaka, and what Yui's experience of it was, and they eventually felt they had mutual understandings about what had actually happened—however relative truth and fact were.

Yui had surprised herself by bringing up the book again—and even having an inkling of interest about what its pages might say now. It would have been simple to dismiss the thought as pure curiosity, but she was scared that the book—or something in it—could be calling to her again.

* * *

Boushin's head still felt heavy, but consciousness returned like the tide. His torso felt tight, and he could hear boisterous voices beyond the walls. It wasn't clear how long he had been asleep, so he forced his eyes to creak open so that he might see if there was daylight or not. There wasn't, but the room was dimly light by the moonlight.

"Boushin, are you awake?"

At least that meant Chiriko was alive. Boushin, though tied up in ropes, twisted around to face him, and saw a large bruise on his forehead. "What happened to us?"

"We've been kidnapped by bandits."

"Kidnapped by bandits?" he gaped. How incompetent was this counselor to have led him straight into bandit territory? His mother was right; he couldn't trust Chiriko to do this right! "Shouldn't we have tried to avoid something like this? What will happen if I never get back?"

"We aren't in that kind of trouble yet," he smiled. "Depending on which bandits we're with, we might be safe."

"Yet? Might? We need to get out of here before anything happens! Be the warrior you are and get us out of here!"

"I never had that kind of power, Boushin."

"Then I'll get us out of here," he sprang into a standing position, but with his ankles tied together and his hands behind his back, he only fell forward onto Chiriko's lap.

"They'll come back eventually, and we can try to escape based on how the situation changes then," Chiriko looked down to him with a smile, but Boushin looked away and tried to hold back tears of frustration. He never should have gone on this trip. As a tear escaped and rolled towards his ear, Chiriko frowned deeply and looked away.

Boushin rolled back into a sitting position, and they listened to the roars of laughter and drunken song on the other sides of the walls. There were bits and pieces of intelligible conversation, but nothing either of them wanted to listen to. Boushin tried to pick out of the muck of it anything having to do with their fate or where his sword might be, but they seemed to not be worth the bandits' conversation.

At some point, the sounds of "I'm sorry, forgive me" rang out not far from the door to their room, and the voices of that conversation grew louder, perhaps closer. "Why didn't ya come tell me right away, huh? Don't ya think people like that would've been important?" "I could tell they were rich, that's why we brought 'em back here at all…" "That's why ya should'a brought 'em t' me! I get to deal with my own people!" "Hey man, this hasn't happened in years, who would'a thought of this anyway?" "Does this sword mean anything t' you?" "Well, 't me, but…" "Fine, I got it. Good job, go have a party, go away, and leave this t' me! Just Kouji 'n I are goin' in there until I say so. The rest of you screwballs go get the hell out!"

"We've found the right bandits," smiled Chiriko. Boushin wasn't sure what he meant, and sat at attention facing the door. In came the red-haired, fanged leader of the bandits and his scarred companion. He was carrying the sword Boushin had misplaced, and he and the other man kneeled down before Boushin.

"Your Majesty," he greeted him with his head lowered, and then he smiled directly at him while offering the sword in both hands. "You've gotta keep a better eye on this, Hotohori."

"Tasuki," Chiriko smiled from next to the boy, "This isn't Hotohori. This is his son, Boushin."

Tasuki stared at Chiriko widely, and then switched his attention back to Boushin like lightning. "What!" he exclaimed and grabbed the boy's face to get a square look at him. Boushin only stared back, bewildered. "Crap! It really is!" he yelled and then shimmied back into a kneeling position with his face to the floor. "Forgive me, Your Highness! This all isn't what it looks like! I'll explain, really! Really, I'm on your side!"

"No, it's alright, I gathered that," he said slowly. "You… you're celestial warrior Tasuki, aren't you?"

"Yes," he looked back up with a confident smile, reassured that he hadn't gotten in trouble with the newest emperor. "I knew your father well, but this is the first we've met."

"He'd like to know the truth about the legend of Suzaku now, so it was about time you met," added Chiriko, still beaming to see his friend again.

"I'm glad," Tasuki looked back to the boy with a proud smile, almost as if he would cry. "You do look so much like Hotohori."

"So I've been told," he blushed.

"Hey, Genro, just a suggestion," interjected Kouji, "Maybe you'd make friends faster if you untied them."

Before long, Boushin and Chiriko were welcomed to the banquet hall where the bandits all cowered in apology. They had already been introduced under their official titles before having set foot in the hall, and all the bandits were on their best behavior—best they knew how, anyway.

Chiriko took a seat next to Tasuki and held a cold cloth to his bruise, but was still smiling. Boushin sat on his other side of the bandit leader and was bombarded with men crowding for a closer look. "This is the kid who beat you up?" one asked another, the one with no shirt nodding proudly while showing the others the fresh cut on his arm he had received from royalty.

"Hey, Your Highness," another one pushed in. "I fought alongside your father on the battlefield!"

"Me too!" another wedged in.

"You're just as skilled as he is!"

"No, he'll be even better!"

"My father fought alongside bandits?" he smiled at the oddity of the thought.

"Yeah," one nodded. "We captured him a long time ago."

"Only the Reikaku bandits are capable of capturing _two _emperors!"

"He was so beautiful…!"

"That's enough outta'_ you_."

Chiriko looked on proudly. "He fits in surprisingly well."

"Yeah, you've been keepin' an eye on him all this time over at the palace, but if you want a break you could leave 'im here for a while!" laughed Tasuki.

"Still, to have thought he was Hotohori," the younger gave him a wry glance, "You must really miss him."

"I didn't think it was _him_, I just thought it'd make sense if he had been reincarnated," he retorted. "After all, Mitsukake did."

"What?"

Boushin's attention snapped back towards his chaperone. Even the bandits had quieted.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Tasuki nodded. "I'm sure it's him."

"Are you sure it doesn't just look like him?" he asked in a severe tone.

"He's just a kid, so of course he doesn't look just like the person he used to be. But I still get that sense around him. You'll get that sense too—I'll take you to his village to meet him tomorrow."

Chiriko furrowed his eyebrows, only nodding in response. Boushin was troubled, but didn't have a chance to dwell on it with more bandits in his face telling him stories about their wartime valor.

After the meal Tasuki barked at the others to give them some space, and took Boushin along with him to his own private quarters. "I want to show you something," he had a toothy grin, which made the young emperor's stomach jump in anticipation. Tasuki turned to a locked cabinet, and then turned back with a fan that looked like paper. "Hold this."

_The Harisen!_ Boushin mentally exclaimed. He had only read about this weapon before and wasn't sure it even existed. He picked it up with one hand, but it sank as soon as he took it from Tasuki. "It's heavy!"

"Look closer."

Boushin did so and noticed a hint of his reflection in the blades. "It's not paper. It's like metal."

"It used to be paper when I first got it. Then Taiitsukun made it stronger with her powers."

"Taiitsukun… that's… the sand witch who lives on Mount Taikyoku, right?"

"Don't call her that! She might hear you!" he slapped a hand over his mouth and looked around the room anxiously. When all seemed quiet, he sighed in relief and withdrew. "Yeah, that's her alright."

_Maybe she would know more about how to get a new priestess. _"Are you still able to communicate with her?"

"No," his voice fell. "None of us have heard anything from her since before the war."

"Is she gone?"

"No, I just think…" he shook his head, unsure where he was going with his thought. "I think she's abandoned us."

A chill went throughout Boushin's body. _First Suzaku, and now Taiitsukun? _

Tasuki continued, "A long time ago I went out to find Mount Taikyoku. I went exactly where Chichiri said it would be, and everywhere around there, but there was no mountain at all. It was just barren. They say that Taiitsukun only appears to those worthy enough t' see her or somethin' stupid like that, and I guess that after we failed we weren't good enough for her anymore."

"Why did you go?"

"I wanted to know if it was still possible… summoning Suzaku."

"I'm the same."

His serious tone caught Tasuki's attention. "Oh?"

"I wanted to know more because I wanted to know if it was still possible. I know the priestess and even some of the warriors are dead, but there must still be some way." Tasuki only stared for a moment, and Boushin was afraid he said something wrong. "Tasuki?"

"Did nobody tell you anything about Miaka yet?" he asked, still wide-eyed like a curious bug.

"What? Well, no, not much…"

"Oh. I see then. Hahaha! Haha!"

Boushin had been bothered by Chiriko's indirect half-answers to all of his questions, but he had no idea what to make of Tasuki's laughter, and could only find himself chuckling with him. "Could I ask you more questions?"

"Nobody's stoppin' you from asking."

"You said that one of the celestial warriors has been reincarnated…"

"Oh, yeah, that's Mitsukake."

"What was he like?"

"Quiet as a log. Big as one too!"

"He was really strong then, wasn't he?"

"Well, I've seen him punch the lights out of some zombies, yeah. Fighting wasn't really his style, though."

"Then he was just smart, like Chiriko?"

"No, no, Mitsukake was probably the most important person to have around," he stared at the ceiling as he thought back, and then he pointed to his left palm. "With just one hand, he could heal people. That was his power."

"Wow," he gazed back in wonder. All this time he had only imagined the warriors all being like his father—armed with holy weapons with which to tear through their enemies.

"Doesn't mean he used it all the time. People like me still had to heal up the old fashioned way so that we wouldn't wipe 'im out. Even if we did, he'd never complain or anything."

"What is he like now?"

"Just your average kid," he laughed. "No powers, no memories of bein' a warrior. Oh, but he does have Shouka. Not all kids are in love like that," he laughed louder. "How 'bout you? Got a harem assembled yet?"

"Not that I've bothered to think about," he blushed and looked to the floor. "Chiriko is approached with more proposals than I am."

Tasuki grew a wide grin, and then burst out even more outrageous laughter. "I guess somebody's gotta take over as the lady-killer around the palace now that Hotohori isn't there."

_Not that the women see him; it's merely politics among the officials,_ he thought, but didn't bother explaining. "And what about you? Do bandits keep wives—"

"No! No women!" he barked. "Too much trouble when you keep them around too long! Bossy brats!"

Boushin noted not to broach that subject again. "Are there any other things here you can show me?"

"Sure! These are just my things, but we've got storerooms full of stuff! Stuff that… uh… happens to come from travelers… come to think of it, your stuff might be mixed in with it all by now…"

"It's alright. I have my father's sword back, and the rest is replaceable. We might need another horse, though."

"I'm goin' with you, so I'll take care of all that. I wanna get back and see Tama's village again, too."

"You're going?" he lit up. "I'm relieved! Chiriko isn't dependable at all!"

"Hey," his expression turned stern. "You don't know anything about Chiriko either, do you?"

"I… I do…"

Tasuki didn't look like he believed him. "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow's gonna be a big day."

_Bigger than today was?_ Boushin smiled. He couldn't fathom a busier day.


	3. A Healer

Boushin stayed in Tasuki's room that night because it was the most lavish, while Chiriko was elsewhere nursing a headache. The day had been so full the boy had difficulty settling down to sleep. "Tasuki?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

_Good, it sounds like he wasn't asleep yet. _"Today when you mentioned Mitsukake, why did Chiriko look troubled?"

"Troubled? Maybe surprised was more like it," he turned over to face him.

"He didn't look happy."

"I just think he was nervous. Mitsukake's prob'ly the one he wants to see most."

"Why?"

"He owes his life to him."

"Oh," he replied. "Because of his healing powers."

"Only half," Tasuki stared off. Boushin said "oh" again, unsure where else to take that. Tasuki read the air, and sat up. "Chiriko was the youngest one of us, you know. Even Miaka had a couple years on 'im. Maybe because they weren't hot-heads like some of the rest of us, he and Mitsukake got along really well. And… I don't know where I'm goin' with this."

"Just tell me what happened."

So he did. Tasuki told Boushin about the monster they encountered among the Seiryuu warriors who had possessed Chiriko's body. He was one to tell stories with great relish, which sucked Boushin in, but his voice was also audible from the hall. Chiriko, hearing them still awake, thought he would go join them, but the words became clearer once he reached the door, and he could hear Tasuki telling Boushin about how he had stabbed himself trying to save everyone.

"Mitsukake offered to heal him, but…"

"But if he had done that, he would have healed the monster, too."

"That's exactly what he said—so he wouldn't let him! He told everyone to hurry and go, but Mitsukake an' I stayed behind t' keep him company."

Chiriko grimaced and went back down the hall.

Boushin was completely absorbed in Tasuki's words—no one had ever told him so much about the Suzaku warriors and their battles, nor been so animated, as Tasuki's arms said almost as much as the words flying out his mouth. "And then when he gasped out that we should take the scroll Taiitsukun gave 'im, that's when Mitsukake got it! He told him, 'Chiriko, I'm going to heal you. And you're going to focus on sealing that monster away into your scroll,' and he pried his hands off the spindle to make him hold the scroll."

"Did it work?"

"He's here now, isn't he?" he had a wide smile, and Boushin sat back in relief. Tasuki continued, "Man, were the others surprised when he came running up the stairs with us! They were both pretty amazing. I couldn't have thought of that, and I definitely couldn't have done what Chiriko did. I just sat there and bawled!"

"And was everyone in time to stop the Priestess of Seiryuu?"

His smile faded. "No. We weren't."

"Oh."

There was an awkward pause, and Tasuki didn't feel like telling any more stories. "Well, I'm gonna go get myself somethin' strong to drink myself off to sleep. You want anything?"

"No, I shouldn't drink liquor."

"Nobody'd get ya' in trouble for it here."

"Thank you for the offer, but I think I'm sleepier now," he smiled, and Tasuki shrugged and strutted out the door, mentally going over what would be a quick concoction to throw together.

Down the hall, Chiriko waited for him with his arms folded inside his sleeves, greeting him with a glower and saying, "Good evening, Tasuki." He didn't look pleased.

The other warrior smiled sheepishily. "I wasn't supposed to say anything, was I?"

"Feel free to share my traumatic experiences with whoever you want."

Tasuki neglected to mention that the entirety of the bandits had all heard that story as well. "Geez, you're really mad, aren't you?"

"I can only be so mad," he sighed, with a hand to his forehead. "I just don't feel like it's something worth bringing up."

"But you did great, Chiriko!"

"Maybe at that moment, but Suzaku was sealed," he pulled his scroll out to look at it, rolled up in his hand. "I still have no way of knowing if he was freed. He might not be gone, Tasuki."

Tasuki put the scroll down away from his line of vision. "Even if he was, if he was gonna do something, don't you think it would'a already happened? It's over. You won. Be happy about it! Mitsukake didn't save you so that you could spend your whole life worrying about it."

"Alright," he put it away.

"Alright," Tasuki felt like he had won an argument. "And I promise not to tell any more stories that make you look good. Happy?" Chiriko smiled and shook his head at his joke. "Now why dontcha come get a nightcap with me and tell me about all these marriage proposals!"

"What? Did Boushin mention those? And no, I really don't hold alcohol well…"

"Aw, you're still the baby of the group. Come be manly with me."

* * *

Out in the desert, the night was sharp, but the air was clear. Kaika's sound could carry far out into the darkness.

"Daddy," a voice said from the window. "I wanna play the flute just as pretty as you do!"

"That will come with practice," he smiled back.

"Daddy," came another voice. "Why do you play your flute?"

"Because you like it, your brother likes it, your mother likes it, and I like it."

"And Grandpa and Grandma?"

"Yes, because they like it too."

"But you're standing outside."

"I guess I am," he patted his son's head from outside the window. "Sometimes I feel like there's someone who needs to hear it, and I'm helping them."

"Daddy, no one's out there."

"You can't always see when someone is sad," he explained. "People don't like to talk about that sometimes. That's why listening to the flute is nice, because they don't have to say anything to feel better. Would you both promise me you'll always try to make sad people feel better?"

"Alright!" they said in unison.

"Good. Now off to bed," he scooted his boys off, and then returned to playing his song. The urges to go outside and play for someone—whoever that may be—were not unusual, and he was sure it had something to do with the life he left behind.

"Go out and play," he wife would tell him when he tried to fight it, afraid of something he shouldn't remember coming back to him. They both accepted his anxious moments, and then once he finished playing, they would move on without letting it bother them. At his most anxious, he would sometimes drabble on to her about how he didn't belong in that little desert village, and how he felt he still had something important to do. "I know you're feeling that," she'd embrace him and whisper, "That character on your shoulder told me so."

Though he had no recollection, it was at least clear to him that he was a Seiryuu warrior. Though he did not know why he left, he was usually satisfied accepting that things had happened to bring him to Sairou, where he lived a simple life.

* * *

Yui was calmer. She couldn't tell what it was, but she felt like there was something helping to lull her back to sleep. _I only had a dream about Miaka because it was the anniversary recently,_ she told herself, trying to shake free of the image of her injured friend falling further and further away.

* * *

Morning came. Boushin was excited and ready to go very early, but Chiriko, and even Tasuki, were a bit sluggish. "Did your headache ever go away?" he asked.

"It came back with reinforcements," he eyed Tasuki, who yawned.

Boushin had an inkling what that meant, and he wanted to laugh. He had never imagined the quiet counselor accepting a drink with a bandit. "So we're going to see Mitsukake now?" he asked once they had departed.

"That's right," Tasuki smiled back, feeling a bit more awake. "He doesn't know anything about being Mitsukake, though."

"Did he die in battle?"

"Sort of," he trailed off and looked to Chiriko. "I was on the battlefield, so I wasn't there when he died."

"He was injured on the battlefield," Chiriko filled in for him. "But then he wore himself out taking care of everyone else's injuries."

"Wasn't his power sealed like yours?"

"He was a skilled doctor even without his celestial abilities. His power was sealed, but that didn't stop him." As usual, he stopped before saying anything of much concreteness, leading Boushin to believe that there was more.

He turned back to Tasuki instead. "Did you ever find out what happened?"

"Yeah! He said 'to hell with this seal on Suzaku, I'm healin' these people anyway!' and bam! Light everywhere! He used his life force to heal everybody, even the soldiers on both sides who had just died!"

"Not that he worded it like that, but yes, that's what happened."

"Wow," he blinked. "Were you there, Chiriko?"

"Yes," his voice sunk as the sounds came flooding back through his mind. "Chichiri and I were at his side. Your mother was also present—she was helping tend to some of the wounded."

"I do remember her saying that!" he chirped. "She said that she stayed busy during the war doing what she could from the palace, even though the officials asked her not to, because…"

Boushin trailed off. It was only a passing story his mother had told him about the stress of the war and how she had been involved. She told Boushin that she had been afraid she miscarried a child very early on in the pregnancy—and only felt confident that she would give birth once she met a healer among the wounded.

"Boushin?" asked Chiriko. "Are you feeling alright? You look pale."

"I'm fine," he looked up with sunshine back in his voice. "Are _you _feeling well enough to go?"

"I'm _fine."_

"Then we better have another go tonight with Chichiri to fix that," Tasuki flashed his fangs and grinned.

"We'll see Chichiri tonight?" Boushin beamed.

"Or tomorrow morning."

"That's good," he sighed. "Then we weren't as lost as I thought."

"Lost?" asked Tasuki, who then glanced over to Chiriko. "Then ya didn't _mean _to come to Mount Reikaku?"

Chiriko pretended not to hear him. "There's the stream. Are we almost to the village you mentioned?"

Tasuki confirmed they were, and lead them to a clearing where they could leave the horses and approach on foot quietly. Boushin had to wonder why they were being so shifty. "Good, he's outside," Tasuki whispered, and then pointed out to a clearing across the stream. Boushin looked over with Chiriko and noticed a slender girl with long hair.

"That's Mitsukake?"

"No, that's Shouka, dummy-I mean, Your Highness. He should be right behind her."

Sure enough, a boy a little younger than Boushin came right behind her, carrying a basket. They sat in the grass and starting to pick through weeds, the boy asking her questions with wide eyes, and then being scolded before she'd pinch his cheek with a laugh. They weren't close enough to hear what they were saying, but they watched for what felt like a long time before Boushin looked up to Chiriko. He was completely absorbed in the scene before them.

"Well?" Tasuki finally broke their silence.

Chiriko could only manage a nod at first. "It's him."

"Ya wanna go say hello?"

"No. Let's tell the others first. We can always come back."

"Got it. Let's head back to the path then."

Boushin stole one last glance over his shoulder before following them. He wasn't sure what they saw, because they only looked like kids in a secluded little village. It was pleasant.

It was another long day of travel after they left the isolated village where Mitsukake's reincarnation lived. They decided it would be the middle of the night by the time they reach Tamahome's village, and stayed in small town barely populated enough to have an inn. Chiriko swore off any drinking plans Tasuki would have had and went to sleep early, so the bandit went by himself. Boushin had been hoping to have him tell him more stories, but it didn't look like that would happen tonight. He was left to wonder how talkative Chichiri might be.

More talkative than Chiriko? Likely. He looked at his sleeping face and felt a twinge of guilt for having pushed the Suzaku subject so far. It was probably painful for everyone to recall—and there was no hint yet of how they lost their priestess.

The room was stuffy and Boushin wasn't sleepy yet, so he opened the window and looked outside at the stars. He played a game with himself trying to see which constellations he could identify, but the ones he could see just looked like one swirling mass. At the very least, he could identify the hydra, his father's stars. Where was his father now? Reincarnated, or just gone? Maybe all along he only wanted to know more about him.

It was lonely. He'd never been able to speak firsthand about how great he was.

* * *

"Hey, Yui. It's Keisuke."

"I know. What's up?"

"Now don't take this the wrong way, but I need someone to go with me to an old friend's wedding. I don't want to look like the only one there with no lady friends. And don't worry, Tetsuya doesn't know the guy so—"

"That means you _don't _have any other lady friends. Don't you have someone from your university you can call up?"

"Well, they're, uh, busy."

"Or taken?"

"Yes, 'or taken'! Come on Yui, you'd really be helping me out here!"

"Take your mom. I'm busy studying."

"I'd rather go single."

"Sorry, Keisuke. Who knows, maybe you'll meet someone there. Bye."

"Yui! Argh. I had something I wanted to give you," he groaned and spun his chair around, where he noticed Mayo standing in the doorway to the teachers' room, which was otherwise full of empty desks. "Sakaki! Hi! I… I was just working late. What can I do for you?"

"Sounds like you're more in need of a favor than I would be," she said.

"Uh, that wasn't what it sounded like…"

"Was that Miss Hongo, my upperclassman?" she invited herself in.

"Yeah, we go back a long time, way before either of us ever got close to this school," he said.

"Isn't she dating someone else?"

"Yeah, my best friend."

"Ouch."

"It's not like that at all! Those two were made for each other or something, I'm the third wheel. I just needed a favor, that's all."

"You just needed a favor from a female," she finished for him. "Can I help, Coach? I'm not doing anything this weekend."

"Uh," he started. He would shout yes, please, I'll be your slave forever, help me-but reason took over. She was only in high school, after all. "I'm sure there's some rule against this somewhere, but thanks for the offer. Now what was it you needed?"

"Nothing," she snapped. She was just killing time and Keisuke had already offered to help her kill it before. "Why do you always stay so late?"

"Because it's easier to focus here than at home with my mom yapping at me."

"That makes two of us."

"How's your homework going?"

"Are you any good at geometry?"

"No, that's why I'm a gym teacher."

"Then it's nothing you can help with."

"Do you go out and do things with your friends when your homework is done?"

"Yeah, sometimes," she shrugged. "Nothing of any consequence. Just killing time. Nothing special happens to me. I just want an escape from everything sometimes."

"You know," he said, "When my little sister was stressed about high school exams, she wanted an escape too."

Mayo was quiet, as she didn't know he had a sister. "What did she do?"

"She… kind of got swept up into a bigger mess than she ever thought it'd be. She never came back."

The color drained from Mayo's face. "I'm sorry I asked."

"Just be careful, okay, Sakaki?" he gathered his things and smiled to her as he got out his keys. "Wouldn't want to lose one of my star players, after all."

"Yes, sir," she replied as he stepped out, and she noticed a book he left on the table. It didn't look like a textbook or anything having to do with his work, and curiosity got the better of her as she fingered it.

"Sakaki?" he called from the hall as she heard him backtracking a few steps. Startled, she slyly plopped the book into her bag just before he looked back in the doorway. "I need to lock up the building, so…"

"Right, I'm coming."


	4. A Wife

Boushin and his party had an early start the next morning, all feeling refreshed. Today they would reach Tamahome's village—and the grave, for that matter—and Boushin would finally hear more.

"Does Chichiri live in Tamahome's village?"

"Yes," answered Chiriko.

"What does he do?"

"He farms."

"What was his power?"

Chiriko and Tasuki looked to each other. "I don't know. How would you answer that?"

"Beats me. Maybe he could do anything."

"He must have been strong, then!"

"Most of them were," he smiled, amused at his enthusiasm.

"I wonder what he'd think of Nuriko." The two warriors exchanged knowing grins.

"Yes, what was Nuriko like?"

"Strong. Strongest person I ever met. He could snap ya in two usin' only two fingers."

"Really?"

"Yes, really! Ya just didn't wanna make him mad," Tasuki shuttered, remembering how it stung to be thrown half-way through a wall. Boushin was gaining a picture in his mind until Tasuki threw a block into his thoughts: "And his hobby was cross-dressing."

"…Cross-dressing?"

"He was good at it, too," nodded Chiriko. "And he even was… no, nevermind."

"Yeah, it's a little much for 'im at this age."

"What?" Boushin asked, though he knew getting an answer wasn't likely.

A few hours into the trip, they took a break to get off their horses and walk around. There were still many trees there, though the hills were gentler compared to the mountain passes. Boushin liked it—there were not many trees or hills in the capital, nor much grass to stretch out in. He walked a few paces away from Tasuki and Chiriko and stretched out in the shade. The dirt smelled comforting, and the area provided solitude than he could usually experience in the bustling palace. He knew the others weren't far off, but he felt like was finally by himself.

By himself, that was, except for a face—if that was what he could call it—appearing directly over his head.

Chiriko and Tasuki, tending to the horses, were alerted to his screams. With great celerity they ran to where he was, and saw him backed against a tree trying to get away from the figure squatting in front of him.

"Didn't mean to scare you, you know. I just thought you looked familiar."

"Chiriko! Tasuki!" he called over to them, wondering how they could just be standing there when he was being threatened.

"Hmm," the person(?) leaned closer, holding the chin of his rubbery complexion. "I've got it! You're Boushin, aren't you?"

"You know me?" he looked back to the man in front of him, then back to his traveling companions. They smiled and nodded, and Chiriko stepped forward with a hand motioning towards the man.

"This is Chichiri, one of the Suzaku warriors."

Chichiri took a step backwards, and bowed down on one knee. His shaggy hair fell around his face as removed his mask, which caused Boushin to scream again and bury his nails in the bark and futilely back up further into the tree.

"Geez," he turned back to his fellow warriors while pointing at his real face. "You didn't even warn him about this? I would have kept my mask on had I have known, you know!"

"They don't tell me much of anything," Boushin peeled himself away from the tree and tried to get a good look at his true face, now that he had realized the previous one was a mask. Chichiri turned back to look at him, so the boy now how a full view of the scar across his eye and cheek. He was now the one staring intently at Chichiri, who merely continued squatting and let him observe. The situation seemed to invite Boushin to reach out and touch, and, hesitating slightly, he did so. At last, he spoke, "Wow."

"I don't think it was the scar that scared him," Tasuki rolled his eyes.

"I'm fairly certain it was the ripping-off-your-face thing," added Chiriko.

Chichiri couldn't help but smile and look at the boy's hand with his functional eye. "Do you like it?"

"I've never seen a scar like this before."

"Most people hope not to, you know."

"Did you get this while fighting the Seiryuu warriors?"

"What? Oh no, this scar is even older than that."

"Yeah," Tasuki added. "We all got used to the mask a long time ago."

Boushin's fascination sank away completely. "Oh."

Chichiri turned back to the others. "Is it just me, or is he disappointed?"

"Chichiri," said Chiriko, "Boushin would like to know what happened ten years ago. We were just on our way to take him to see you."

"I see," nodded Chichiri. "I'll go on ahead, then."

"Please do."

"He's leaving? But we just met!" protested Boushin.

"We met eight years ago. You just don't remember, you know?"

"But—I haven't even apologized for screaming at you…"

"I'll accept that as an apology. And it's alright," he said as he put the mask back in place and stood up. "I'm going to prepare for you to come over. Just a little housekeeping, you know."

"Well," he frowned, "Alright…"

Boushin and the others took their time reaching the village within another hour or so. The area was arid, but the houses were well-kept, and there were small children running around between them. Tasuki and Chiriko lead him through them until they came to a house Chichiri was squatting in front of. "We meet again, Boushin."

"Chichiri!"

The warrior called over his shoulder, "Miaka, they're here!"

The sound of crashing pans came from within the house, and then from around the side of the house came hurried footsteps. Then there was a young woman—petite, long dark hair half in tufts, and bright eyes. At first she looked hurried and anxious, but locking eyes with Boushin, she brimmed up into a wide smile and put her hands to her face. "You're Hotohori's son?" she said, and then started sprinting towards him with her arms outstretched. "I've wanted so much to see you! I—"

"You're alive?!"

She stopped her tracks, hands still outstretched, and then slowly shrunk back away. "Uh… yes. Yes, I'm alive."

"Then—"

"Let's go inside, Boushin," Chichiri put a hand on his shoulder.

No wonder everyone had been so secretive about how the priestess died—there wasn't anything _to_ say. Boushin buried his eyes in one hand as he rested his elbow on the table, and Chichiri served a cup of tea in front of him. He had thought there was reason to wait for a priestess or something, it turned out she had been there his entire life. But what had she been _doing_, except for _nothing_?

"Miaka and I have been living here for the past several years," Chichiri explained. "It's easiest just to say that we're married, you know?"

"That's right," she added. "We live a simple life like everyone else here—I get to do the whole making cookies for orphans thing—except they don't eat my cookies, but besides that, it's nice to live like normal people in Konan do."

Boushin looked around the humble home. With a broad bed next to them, they all barely fit at the table together without their elbows hitting each other or the walls, and there was a bunk bed set up in the next room—if he could call it that. He had never been inside such a small building. "_Are_ you husband and wife, then?"

"Well," they looked to each other. "In some ways, I guess you could say so. We take care of each other and have spent most of our time together over the years."

"We've spent enough time together that we bicker like an old married couple sometimes too, you know?"

"You could say they're more like widows consoling each other," murmured Tasuki from behind his teacup.

"We made a decision together that Chichiri would be Miaka's caretaker."

"But why not stay at the palace? Even my mother thinks you've died."

"We needed to lay lower than that."

"I know," he smiled, "to wait for the right time to summon Suzaku, right? That must be it! Otherwise—"

"No!" Miaka slammed her hands the table. "I will not be summoning Suzaku."

"But…" he stared back at her, bewildered, then angry. "Why not? That was your purpose for coming here all along, wasn't it?"

"It's impossible now."

"You're alive! It can't be impossible!"

"It's impossible!"

"Why? Why is it impossible?" he raised his voice.

"Because I'm Tamahome's wife!"

And with that, she backed down and looked away with a pursed expression. She was a beautiful woman with soft features, Boushin could admit, but he had never met a woman with such a temperament. He looked to the other warriors for some explanation of what she meant—seeing as Tamahome was dead—and found them all looking to the floor with vacant faces, as if the information was nothing new but still as meaningful. Though he didn't think he did anything wrong, he apologized.

"No, I'm sorry," she said. "It's because I failed that you had to come all the way out here to find me, and that you don't have your father around."

"No, no, that's not your fault," he said, though for all he knew, she could have been right. "The fact is I _did_ want to meet you all, though… even though I didn't expect _you _to be here. I'll be happy if I could hear more about the legend of Suzaku and the adventures you had." _After all, I can bombard Chiriko with a lot more questions later now that he's shown me this. _

"That's right, let's enjoy each other's company," Chichiri added.

"Hey, that's right! There's more company t' introduce ya to!" Tasuki jumped in. "It's Mitsukake, he's been reincarnated! I just plain stumbled on the kid in a village near my hide out."

"What? He has?"

"It's true," beamed Chiriko. "He showed me on the way there. He was there with Shouka, probably the baby he healed back then."

"That's wonderful," Miaka's face was flushed, and she wiped away a happy tear. "I'm so glad he didn't wait up for me. Can I see him? Do you think he'll remember me?"

"Naw, he's just a normal kid."

"That's so wonderful," she repeated. "Mitsukake deserved that."

"Once he found Shouka and felt assured you were taken care of, he probably didn't waste any time in joining her."

"Yes, there was no sense in waiting around."

"Then what about the others?" Boushin interjected. "Would my father and the others have found new lives by now?"

The others fell quiet, consumed in thought. At last Miaka broke the silence, with her gaze fixed towards the window. "Not Tamahome."

The others nodded slightly. "And for that matter, probably not Hotohori and Nuriko either."

In the silence, Miaka started to tear up again. "Oh no, look at me," she rushed to wipe one away when it hit her cheek, and then turned with a smile to Boushin. "I'm really so happy to see you! I had Chichiri go check on everyone in the palace while we were traveling and hiding out for a couple years, and he said you were adorable—and that you looked just like Hotohori! And that you had the teddy bear I gave him, too! Then when Chiriko would come to visit, he would tell me about you, too."

Boushin was surprised to hear about his childhood toy. Furthermore, he had never noticed Chiriko's absenses, and he shot him a surprised look. The counselor sipped his tea and said, "I didn't get lost those times."

"Because I met you half-way," Chichiri replied.

"You probably heard that this is Tamahome's house," she smiled and looked up the ceiling. "There are some sad memories here, but it's mostly filled with good ones. Why don't you come with me? I'm sure Tamahome would like to see you, too."

She took him around to the back of the house, where there were six mounds. "This is Tamahome's family," she pointed. "That's his father, that's Yuiren, that's Shunkei, that's Gyokuran, that's Chuuei, and this one is Tamahome," she sat down on the dirt in front of it and gazed fondly. "I wanted to make sure he was buried here with them. I think he's glad we finally decided to stay here. It must make it easier for him to find me."

As she gazed, she felt as if she could barely see his figure from the chest down, sitting on top of the grave. She imagined he'd be smiling.

"Tamahome," she addressed it, "This is Boushin. He's Hotohori's son. He looks a lot like him, don't you think?"

"Um, hello," the young emperor said.

"Do you run into Hotohori anywhere? Tell him he should be proud of his son. And tell him I'd visit him and Nuriko too, if I could."

Boushin wasn't sure if he felt comfortable being there, imposing on a bereaved woman's chat with her love. Maybe she had died a bit on the inside with him.

"Mi…Miaka?"

"Yes, Boushin?" she gave him a bright look.

"Why does everyone say that you died?"

She was downcast as she answered. "I wanted everything to stop—especially after Tamahome died. I was there when Nakago killed him," she said, and her arms moved as if she was cradling something. "He told me that he wanted to be with me forever. I wanted to be with him forever too. I thought it would be fine I joined him right away, and I was reckless and angry—but I carried this hope that I would be going to his side soon, and we'd never be separated again. I had hope that if I just wasn't here anymore that bad things would stop happening to everyone I loved. Even telling them it was impossible to summon Suzaku wasn't enough. They kept fighting! But I know now it wasn't all for my sake," she shook her head. "It really was for Konan. That's why I'm still alive, taking care of Konan in my own little ways."

"But if people knew you were alive, they could have at least kept some hope."

"No," she sounded firm, "There is no need for anyone to be so reckless ever again. Suzaku is sealed, and we are healing this country without him!"


	5. Children

**Author fangirling: **Five chapters in, and things are starting to fall into place now that people like Miaka don't have to be a secret! The "what if the priestess faked her death?" idea was the first plot bunny that bit me.

As for the Eikoden elements, more of them will start coming in, although not exactly the way they were in the original-for instance, Juan (Mitsukake's incarnation borrowing from his old name) is older in this fic than he was in Eikoden. Because come on, seriously? Why would Mitsukake put off joining her another few years, huh? I'd expect him to be the most in a hurry to reincarnate! That's to say nothing of how long Chiriko waited just so he could still be the baby of the group (in a more literal sense). Oh Eikoden, you're so silly.

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review! ~Appa

* * *

Boushin had trouble sleeping that night. First of all, the mattress was lumpy and the blanket smelled strange and he could feel the chill of the air outside, and every time he moved the bed would creak. Second, Miaka and the Suzaku warriors were making a racket in the kitchen—wouldn't they be disturbing the neighbors with their obnoxious stories about fishing and robbing people, and teasing each other about cookies and marriage proposals? But when he listened closer, there were other voices—many children were still outside and laughing as they played games in the dark, and neighbors jibed as they played chess and traded their own stories. They looked like they had so little, but perhaps it was their lack which made them so unconstrained.

Boushin had no place in the conversation. It was a foreign world to him, and even if he was welcome in that little world, it was only because he was Hotohori's son. In his capacity to understand their history, they would only be able to give him cut up pieces of information to chew. Even if there was something he could do, would they acknowledge it?

What right would they have to ignore him if he found a new way to summon Suzaku? They had failed, they would not be able to say anything! The mere thought of a possibility made him somewhat comforted.

* * *

Impossibility came as a comfort to Mayo, too.

It was outside of the everyday. Because it found its way into _her_ hands, that was what made her feel extraordinary-the moment she had opened the book that she had taken off of Keisuke's desk, the contents of its pages flowed into her consciousness. Miaka Yuuki had to have been the sister he mentioned, and that was the mess from which she never came out of. Even for having been the treasure of so many peoples' lives and given such an important task, she failed. Mayo saw that as an opening.

"Suzaku, take me!" she yelled into its pages. "Where are you sealed?"

Images of Yui passed through her mind. She was the priestess who had sealed him with Seiryuu's power, but surely he wouldn't still be with her. Still, Mayo dug her fingernails into the cover as she clenched the book. _She must be the door to where Suzaku is. I will find her and draw him out. _

But how was she going to do that? By throwing the book at her or something? The book had said that she had closed herself off completely to that world. Something had to draw the Priestess of Seiryuu back out.

* * *

"Lady Yui!" Suboshi abruptly sat up in bed, and looked around frantically for what was in his hand the entire time. The bow was safe. "Lady Yui," he held it against his cheek and closed his eyes a moment.

Discreetly, he headed to the shrine of Seiryuu, and there he took a seat in front of the statue and listened to the waterfall. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to think or just to listen—neither of which were his strengths. Staring at the statue without really looking at it, he could only focus on his desire to see her again.

Sitting there was pointless. He stood up and turned to leave, and from behind him a clawed hand reached towards him. A voice he could not hear whispered, "Call her forth."

* * *

Miaka was the first one up the next morning. "Come on, sleepy-heads," she smiled over the bottom bunk, where all four of the others had been squished together. Tasuki sat up with a groan and the whole bed shifted, and it shook violently when he threw one leg out over the edge, clearing Boushin completely. Besides not being able to get comfortable, Boushin had been up all night terrified that the bed was going to collapse.

"I made breakfast," she sing-songed from the other room over. At least that came as a relief to Boushin. Filling his tummy would make him a little more—

Chichiri and Chiriko pulled back on either arm to keep him from standing up, and Chiriko had a hand over his mouth. "Actually, Miaka, I thought we could eat at a place I saw on the way!"

"Really?" she peered in with a frown.

"Tasuki's paying for it."

Tasuki, who had been in the kitchen, came up from behind Miaka and nodded eagerly with an otherwise strange expression on his face which could only leave the other warriors to guess that he had tasted breakfast already. "You bet I am! Let's go have a feast, Miaka!"

"Well, okay!" she smiled. The promise of special food made her forget all of her effort, and as soon as she walked away to clean up, the others sighed with relief. Chichiri turned to Boushin and explained that they had to protect him as well as the former priestess.

Boushin took a whiff of the air and grimaced at the acrid odor. "Have you had to put up with this all these years?" he turned to Chichiri.

"No, I usually do the cooking, and she does the cleaning. She helps with the farming too, you know," he said, then sighed. "Next she's probably going to try giving the food she made away to the neighbors, and then she'll get sad when they don't take it and the food gets wasted."

"Wouldn't it be kinder just to tell her that her cooking is terrible?" asked the boy, and Chichiri merely winced. His noncommittal response irritated him. "Then you think you're protecting her by just keeping her ignorant, and letting her hide from all her problems?"

Chiriko addressed him by name in a cautioning tone.

"I'm sorry," he said lowly and insincerely as he stepped away to get dressed.

The group wasn't especially talkative on the way, possibly because they had gotten conversation out of their systems the day before. As the horses trotted along, Boushin couldn't help but notice how easily Miaka took to the animal. "Miaka, do you ride often?"

"Yeah, I've gotten really good at it!" she smiled. "I can't summon Suzaku anymore, but I've been doing what I can. When we've needed to go track down doctors in other villages or bring water to other villages, I've been able to help with those kinds of things. It's the little things that really make everyone's lives easier."

"I had no idea."

"You wanna race?" she grinned.

Boushin couldn't answer before Tasuki chimed in, "You're on!"

Before long they were swept up in competition and laughing together, then ultimately wound up going slower than before because they and their horses were tired out already. Chiriko came bouncing up in the rear, unsettled from all the trotting. "Is this something you'd do often?" Boushin asked through heavy breaths as he wiped his sweat away.

"Not back then, no," he panted back. "It's hard to have fun like this when there's always a sense of urgency."

"I see," he answered and looked to the other's faces. They were all smiles, but he noticed Miaka wince.

The trip stretched on with small talk here and there, as well as a few extra stories about Mitsukake. They explained to Boushin who Shouka was to him, and who he was to the rest of the warriors, as well as funny things he did or said. When they mentioned his pet cat, Chichiri sighed. "He passed away a couple years ago."

"What, Tamaneko? I wouldn't worry about him," Tasuki shrugged. "Juan's got a cat too. Maybe Tama found 'im before we did."

"Oh, his name is Juan again?"

"Well, if Shouka is still Shouka, that's not too surprising, is it?"

"Do you think he'll be surprised to see us?"

"Well, we'll find out, won't we?" Tasuki said as they neared the secluded village, and once they approached on foot, he called out, "He-e-e-e-ey, Juan!"

A boy poked his head out of a window towards the voice. "Uncle Tasuki?"

"I got some people I want ya' to meet! Get out here!"

"Uncle Tasuki?" Chiriko repeated and shot him a glance. "What do his parents think about this?"

"They didn't like me hangin' around at first," he averted his glance as if he was in trouble, and Juan came running up to him. Tasuki squatted to about his eye level, and put a hand on Juan's shoulder, and pointed to the others with his other thumb. "These are some old friends of mine. I told them about you and they wanted t' meet ya."

He glanced up shyly with only his eyes and looked them over. "Hello," he said in a small voice.

"Could I…" Miaka approached, fixated on him. "Could I see you a moment?" Juan said nothing and only stared back at her as she bent down next to Tasuki, and then as if she could not help herself, she drew him close and gently embraced him. Unsure of what to do, Juan only stood there without moving or saying anything. "I'm so happy to see you like this," she said softly and closed her eyes to keep tears from coming out.

Boushin could sense the boy's discomfort, but wasn't sure what to do, if anything. He didn't have to do anything, however, because a girl came running towards them waving a fistful of cattails. "Don't touch Juan!" she yelled and swatted at Miaka, who was unhurt but surprised. The girl put her hand on her hips and yelled at her. "What were you trying to do, give him a heart attack? Take him away? Huh? Huh?"

Despite being berated by her, Miaka lit up. "You're Shouka, aren't you?"

Surprised to hear her name, the girl stepped back, and the confusion gave Juan enough of a moment to dash and hide behind Tasuki, who said, "Shouka, these are my friends."

"Oh, Uncle Tasuki!" she beamed and bounced over to him, and Tasuki took her hands and helped her jump high in the air as she giggled wildly. "What are you doing bringing all these bandits here, Uncle Tasuki?"

"Not all my friends are bandits, ya know! Why else would I be friends with you and Juan?"

"Because we patch you up."

"Free medical care, right, that's it, you adorable little doctors," he said in a forced sweetness through an annoyed smile, and then twisted around to put a hand on Juan's shoulder. Juan was clinging to his waist from behind. "Let me tell you who these people are. This is Auntie Miaka. She knew you a long time ago, Juan. And that's my friend Uncle Chichiri, and my friend Uncle Chiriko, and my new friend Boushin."

"They're your uncles?"

"No, they can be _your _uncles, numbskull!"

"Hello, Juan," Chichiri bent down to say hello, but with one look at his mask, Juan began to cry and ran to hide behind Shouka instead.

As much as Chiriko wanted to say hello, he thought it best to hold back a little longer. "They treat your wounds, Tasuki?"

"They helped with a scrape once. After that it's more like I became their test subject," he muttered, and Chiriko laughed.

"Look Juan, Uncle Chichiri's face is stretchy."

"Please stop pulling on my face, Shouka."

Juan's parents came out shortly to see what the commotion was, and recognizing Tasuki they greeted him warmly, and invited the others to come inside. On the way in, Miaka tugged on Tasuki's sleeve, asking if they knew anything, to which he answered that they didn't. Once inside, Miaka could not help but ask, "So you're used to having bandits hang around here?"

"We didn't use to be," they looked to each other, remembering how terrified they had been at first of the fanged man talking to their son. "Until the day the wolves attacked our village. They've been hungry, too," their tones fell.

"You got rid of them, Tasuki?"

"Well, most of them," he said. "Kouji and the others helped a little. But since then you could say things have been pretty smooth."

"They make sure we're not the target of any other bandits, either," Juan's father added.

"It looks like Juan and Shouka like to play doctor," Miaka looked in his direction, but Juan averted his glance. "Are you doctors, too?"

"What? Oh no, I think they were born that way," his mother responded. "Shouka's parents say it may be due to an experience she had as a baby, and Juan idolizes her so much that he might have picked it up from her. He's still the more squeamish one, though."

"That's nice," she replied, filling with pride.

Boushin could not be sure why, but he felt very uncomfortable in that little hut of a house. His throat itched, and his nose seemed to be refusing to work right. He discreetly excused himself and stepped outside, where he felt a bit relieved. He wanted to hear more of the adult's conversation, but there wasn't much for him to contribute.

At that moment, Juan stepped out in front of him. "Um," he began, "Are you feeling alright?"

"I feel better out here, thank you. I don't know what came over me."

Juan gummed some words around in his mouth, then said, "I'll be right back." Boushin watched him run off, and curiously waited for him to return. When he did so, he was carrying a cat. The younger emperor quietly gasped in surprise, as he had never seen one up close. "This is Tama," Juan said.

"Is it safe? To touch, I mean?"

Juan didn't say anything, but held out the cat towards him. Boushin slowly stretched a hand out towards it, but before reaching it he felt the tingling back in his throat and a sneeze come on.

"That's what I thought," Juan lowered the cat down and to let it walk away. "I think you're allergic to him."

"Allergic? Is that bad?"

"It doesn't feel good. I'll be right back." Boushin watched him run off again. When he came back, he had a little sack as long as his thumb which was attached to a string. "Shouka's daddy is allergic to Tama, too, so we made this for him. You can have it."

"Are you sure?"

"It's okay, we have more. You can have it."

"Thank you," he took it and stuffed his hand into his pocket.

"You have you put it around your neck," Juan explained and used his arms to illustrate, as if Boushin couldn't understand his words.

"Oh, like this then."

"That's right."

It smelled a bit like a potpourri, but Boushin didn't mind it. He stayed sitting there, and Juan kept standing in front of him, as if expecting him to do something. "Um," he looked up at him, "do you want to sit down?"

"Okay," he said, and did so. The two sat quietly. Boushin couldn't be sure if the silence was getting to him too.

"Have you always wanted to be a doctor?"

"Yeah. What do you want to be?"

"Me?" _I'm already the emperor! _"I… want to summon Suzaku!"

"Suzaku," Juan tasted the word and seemed to think on it deeply. Boushin wondered if he had stirred up something deep inside of him and if memories would start to flow out. Juan looked back and asked, "What's that?"

Boushin would have fallen over if he was standing up. "You don't know who Suzaku is? Isn't that a legend everyone in Konan knows?"

"I don't know."

Boushin frowned. _This village _is _very secluded, and it certainly has been a long time. Perhaps no one talks about it anymore after all. _"He's a heavenly bird made of fire who watches over Konan."

"Oh. That sounds nice," he smiled.

"Yeah, it's nice to think about," he smiled with him.

"I'll be right back," Juan said once again and ran off, then came back with his hands cupping something. "Give me your hands."

Boushin offered up both hands together, and Juan dropped several sticky seeds onto his palms. The sensation made him want to throw them away and go rinse his hands off, but he didn't want to be rude, and thus endured. Juan plopped back down next to him with a big smile and he stuffed a few in his mouth.

"What are these?" Boushin asked him.

Juan picked up a single one between his finger and thumb and answered, "Lotus seeds. They're candied."

"Oh," he replied. He had eaten parts of lotus before. He put a few in his mouth, but wriggled around until he could chew it enough to swallow it. "That's so sweet!"

"Ssh! Mommy doesn't know I took them."

"Okay," Boushin nodded, and not really wanting to eat the rest, he held the sticky mass in his palm.

"Are you going to come visit with Uncle Tasuki all the time?"

"No, I live much further away than that," his tone fell, as did Juan's when he replied with an "oh." Boushin continued, "But it's nice here."

"It's fun, too. You can play with me and Shouka."

"Okay," he smiled, finding it strange that he would say that so easily, when it was something he had never heard another child say to him before.

By dinner time, Juan was much more comfortable with the additional company. Comfortable enough even to poke Chichiri's face.

Shouka's family had Juan's family and Boushin's party over for a meal that evening, as they were also familiar with Tasuki and the bandits and had heard him tell stories of some of his exploits before. When they asked about how Tasuki knew them, it sufficed to say that they were people he fought alongside in the war ten years beforehand.

"Even Miss Miaka?"

"Well, I did what I could," she laughed it off lightly.

"Auntie Miaka, will you take a bath with me later?" Shouka tugged at her sleeve.

"Oh, no," she laughed.

"But I want to make you look pretty."

"Don't bother her, Shouka," her mother scolded. "You're all welcome to stay as long as you like. It's not very large, but we do have a guest room."

"How long have you been living here?" Chiriko asked. As he recalled, the parents who brought a dying baby to Mitsukake ten years ago would not have lived so far away.

"We came not long after the war," they said. "Our village had been razed, and instead of rebuilding, we wanted to leave it all behind and start over. At the time, the mountains were mostly untouched."

"It looks like you'd be safe from floods here," Chichiri noted. "That's nice, you know."

"Floods? When's the last time we had to worry about that?" Shouka and Juan's parents all laughed, but Boushin didn't find it anything to laugh about.

The evening dragged on, and Miaka took a turn in the bath after the boys had been in. Shouka, not one who liked to be denied what she wanted, was insistent. "I don't want to take my bath later!" she whined.

"You can get in with me later," her mother argued back, and then turned back to her task at hand. "Oh no, I forgot to give her a towel…"

"I'll take it!"

"Shouka!"

Content that she had won, Shouka bounded over to the bath and pulled open the door, announcing that she was coming in. Miaka was caught by surprise and exposed.

* * *

"Hey Tetsuya, what's up?" Keisuke smiled to his friend at the door. Tetsuya invited himself in and grabbed him by the collar.

"How much have you been blabbing to your students, huh?"

"What?"

"Yui's getting harassing phone calls from one of your students! It's Suzaku this, and Seiryuu that! Where would she have heard all that from, huh?"

"What? Who is it?"

"Some girl… Sa…Sa-something…"

"Mayo Sakaki," he planted his palm against his forehead. "That's where the book must have gone!"

"What do you mean, 'that's where the book must have gone?'"

"Since she mentioned it, I was going to let Yui take it for a while, but then it disappeared right off my desk. I've been looking everywhere for it."

"You let some teenage girl go read that thing? Hasn't that only spelled disaster every other time a teenage girl has touched it?"

"You're right, it was stupid to bring it to a high school, I get it! At least we know where it is now and we can get it back."

"Yeah, but how about getting her to stop all this 'give Suzaku back' nonsense? Yui's already been edgy about that stuff lately."

"More than usual?"

"Keisuke," he took a deeper tone. "I think the book might be trying to call her back if it's making her this nervous."

"What for? What could the Universe of the Four Gods possibly need Yui for now?"

"I don't know," he shook his head. "As soon as we get the book back, I'm going to take a look and see if anything's changed. Something could be moving, and I don't like having this other girl involved."

"I got it. I'll talk to her tomorrow. I'll invite myself over for a parent-teacher conference if I have to."

"You can do that?"

"I don't know. Hopefully I don't have to find out. Just tell Yui to keep her phone off for now."

* * *

Mayo listened to the phone cut to Yui's voicemail. She threw it down against the floor in frustration and heaved her shoulders with a snarl. _Call out to her_, she beckoned and put her hands back on the book tightly.

* * *

Suboshi felt a choking sensation inside of his chest. He couldn't let his troops see, and covered the pain by yelling more forcefully at the soldiers performing their drills. It was the same pain he had felt when Yui left his world, and it had been getting stronger.

_Lady Yui_, he called out in his mind. _Where are you?_


	6. Sleeping Gods

**Author Fangirling: **Hello, Readers! While they were originally brought in as plot elements, working with mentally unstable characters like Suboshi and Mayo can be a real treat. This is still Boushin's story, but it's a terrible injustice that there is not a character filter for him on .

Next week's update will be delayed a couple days, but it _will _go up. In the meantime, please leave a review!~Appa

* * *

"Juan! Juan!" Shouka ran out to Juan's house and yelled. The commotion caught Boushin's attention, and he looked out at her from the window. He saw Juan walk outside to meet her and ask what was wrong, and the words quickly spilled out of her mouth. "It's Auntie Miaka," she said, and motioned from her left shoulder down across to her right hip, "I've never seen any scar like that!"

"She had a big scar?" Juan looked at her with wide eyes.

"It wasn't just big. It was," she shook her head, searching her mind, looking for the right words. "It was like a burn, but it was deep. The skin's still all mangled."

"What does 'mangled' mean?"

"It means it's gross! Something really bad happened to Auntie Miaka, but I don't what it is!"

"Does she hurt?"

"I… I don't know. I didn't ask. I ran away. I don't know what could have done that."

"I don't know either," Juan shook his head, chilled by the thought.

Boushin felt a chill as well. Something drastic and unusual really had happened to the priestess—perhaps terrible enough to make everyone sure she had died. He edged away from the window with his hand over his mouth, and felt a rush of nausea.

_Did something like that happen to my father, too?_

He shook his head to rid himself of the passing thought, but his hands still shook.

Miaka did not act as if anything had happened when she and the others joined him in the guest room. There was a desk and only two beds, but they had at least been supplied with enough bedding for a couple of them to sleep on the floor. Miaka plopped down onto one of the beds and stretched. "This village is so nice," she said with a content sigh. "I'm glad we came and could see that Mitsukake was doing so well."

"How much longer are we staying?" Boushin asked in a low tone.

Miaka looked to Chichiri and they thought a moment before she said, "Well, it's not as if we can't come back."

"I told Kouji I'd only be gone a few days, so I'll probably just head straight back from here," Tasuki said. "I guess after breakfast or so."

"Yeah, that's sounds like a good time for us to head back too, you know."

That night Boushin still had trouble sleeping again, but by morning he knew exactly what he was going to say. As expected, Miaka and the others announced their plans that morning while they were being served breakfast, and as expected, their hosts insisted they were welcome to stay longer.

"I'm not leaving."

Everyone turned to Boushin as if they had misheard him. That made him nervous, but he continued. "I'm not going back until I've heard everything."

"Boushin," Chiriko started, "…you've already met them. Where else could we go?"

"I want to stay here. We'll stay as long as it takes for you to tell me everything. That's an order."

By this point, Shouka's parents thought it best that they step out of the room to let them continue. Once it sounded like they were gone, Chiriko found everyone else staring at him.

"How much did you agree to tell him?" Chichiri asked.

"He agreed to tell me everything!"

"Did I word it that way?" he tilted his head innocently. "Sorry, my brain doesn't work as well as it used to…"

"Come on, you're not senile!" Tasuki knocked him lop side the head. "Didn't you stick up for him at the palace?"

"Then I'm sticking up for him now," Miaka said. "Go ahead and tell him why we can't summon Suzaku. Tell him all of it!"

"Miaka?"

She stepped forward to face Boushin and crouched down in front of him at eye level, while still addressing Chiriko. "I don't want it to follow him forever. Just hurry and tell him so that he can understand what happened, and move on. I trust you to word it all the way it needs to be said, Chiriko."

"Then you're going back?" the emperor asked her.

She nodded. "Boushin, what I regret most is not being able to stop Hotohori that day. I wish he could still be leading Konan as its emperor, and I wish he could be here for you. I know you might be mad at me for staying away this entire time and for not summoning Suzaku, but I still care about you very much. Can you promise me," she took his hand, "that you'll still come and see me sometimes?"

"Alright," he nodded, then looked to Chiriko. "Are you going to tell me everything?"

"Since Miaka gave it her blessing…"

The two of them and their hosts saw them off to their horses. "Are you going, too?" Juan asked Boushin, who shook his head and answered that he'd be there a few more days. The younger boy stepped behind Shouka to hide his smile.

"I hope you don't mind putting us up a little longer," Chiriko said to Shouka's father, who insisted that it was no trouble at all, and Chiriko added, "Not to worry. Tasuki will compensate you."

"_I _will?"

"Compensation," he said again, pointing to what remained of the bruise of his forehead. Tasuki rolled his eyes and assured them he'd be back soon, and Miaka and Chichiri also went on their way.

Not far off from the village, Chichiri asked his companion, "You weren't going to stay and tell him yourself?"

She shook her head, downcast. "I don't want to."

Chiriko didn't want to have to say everything, either. He and Boushin were back in the guest room, and Chiriko was in a foul mood, which made Boushin uneasy. Nevertheless, he was impatient. "Chiriko?"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Boushin."

"Boushin," he repeated with a sigh. He could tell that Miaka had fled because she didn't want to do the work of recalling everything, but why did it have to fall with him? He wasn't even there for half of it!

"I'm ready whenever you are."

"I'm just thinking of where to start. It's highly complex. It didn't all start at the same time or place, wherever you could say that would be."

"I know the basics," he said. "Miaka is the priestess from another world, and she faked her death instead of summoning Suzaku. My father, Tamahome, Mitsukake and Nuriko were warriors who died, and you, Tasuki and Chichiri are still here. There was a war, and Suzaku was never summoned."

"You could say that—"

"Oh, and Seiryuu was summoned instead."

"Yes, we made a lot of mistakes," the counselor wasn't succeeding in hiding his irritation. "I'm not sure which mistake to start with."

They sat quietly, Boushin anxious to hear where Chiriko would start, but his counselor merely had his eyes clenched shut in thought. Just as he was starting to wonder whose stubbornness would win out in the end, there was a knock at the door. Before they could respond, the door opened, and Juan fell in the room. Shouka was directly behind him and had opened the door, not bothering to allow her houseguests their privacy. "Juan wants you to come play!" she announced.

"Shouka, that was rude," he meekly scolded her from the floor.

"And you were slow."

"Juan, Shouka," Boushin addressed them with a smiled, but then looked back over to Chiriko to see what he would say.

"Why don't you go?" Chiriko smiled, much softer than before. "That would give me a chance to collect my thoughts."

Boushin nodded, strangely more excited to join the other children than to hear what he had been waiting for all along.

* * *

Mayo flipped back through the pages. She had not even had to read them before; the knowledge had simply flowed into her consciousness as if the book had reached out to her. She found it somewhat amusing that the wording the book would never refer to Miaka by name, but instead she was referred to constantly as "The Priestess of Suzaku." It was such an open title that anyone could take—anyone, and that meant Mayo.

The story was going to move again, all for her. All for her, because she got it—she was the only one in either world who understood why the story had never finished.

She caught a page and looked down into its' words.

_The Priestess of Seiryuu cowered, consoling herself. The god stood before her, a hand outstretched as he looked into her face. "Priestess," he spoke. "Your wish…"_

"_Stop it!" she screamed and swatted his hand away. "I'm done with this! I want to go home!"_

"_I will grant you one more wish, My Priestess."_

"_I only want to go home and never have anything to do with this world again! That's all I want!" Burying her face back into her scaled arm, she sobbed and repeated, "That's all I want." _

_Seiryuu Seikun took a step away from her, fading into the distance as the world around the Priestess changed. "If that is what you wish, my Priestess," his voice lingered._

_Immediately, she could no longer feel his presence. She was seated on her bed, at the home she had known since childhood. The entire country of Kutou felt far away, as if it had never existed. _

"But it _did_ exist!" Mayo shrieked back at the words. "Yui Hongo's last wish was nothing but a bandage!" It did not count for anything, Mayo was sure. Yui still had one wish left, but she had been ignoring it—as well as the god dormant inside of her, as well as the god still left sealed—all this time, for years! Mayo was determined to rip that bandage off. She thumbed through the pages searching out a name, and came to it: _Suboshi was troubled as his heart leapt back to memories of the priestess he had served years ago…_

"Suboshi," she grinned as she fingered his name. "You can feel it, too, can't you? She's closed herself off from me. You're the only one who can reach her now."

* * *

The pain felt strong enough again for Suboshi to grab his chest. He hung his head, and opened his eyes slowly to look at his hand. It had grabbed exactly where the bow was hiding on the other side of his clothes. _Lady Yui_… he mind drifted towards it.

"_Yui Hongo's last wish was nothing but a bandage!"_

The general gasped—something had spoken to him. He was sure he heard words! Had Yui really not used all of her wishes?

"_You're the only one who can reach her now."_

_I can reach her. I can reach her! She can come back!_

He stood up, unable to contain a smile, and then a laugh. In an instant, it seemed perfectly plausible that Yui's role in his world had been left unfinished, but would it continue now—so many years later? It didn't matter! If Yui would come, that was all that mattered!

In his joy, Suboshi did not notice the shadow of a god following him. _"It's time,_" Seiryuu Seikun whispered behind him. _"Call her forth."_

* * *

The reawakening of Seiryuu did not go completely unnoticed.

Nakago, the emperor of Kutou, sat with his chin at his hands and his elbows on his throne. The reverberations of a deity in the air shook his bones, but somewhere in the depths of his insides, he could feel something that had been missing for years.

Yui.

For the first time since she had disappeared, he could feel a hint of her presence again. No longer was she entirely closed off—something in his world, or in her world, or even in both had to have been acting to pry her open again. Not only could he feel her presence, but he could feel anticipation.

* * *

Mayo was unaware of how Yui's life force resonated within the pages of the book, and only knew that the book needed to reach Yui. That, she was sure, was the only way she would be able to draw Suzaku away from her, away from wherever she had sealed him.

She closed the cover, and held the book to her chest with both arms folded over it. "Not much longer," she said to it. "I'll free you, Suzaku. I'm coming."


	7. Warriors

**Author Fangirling: **Surprise! I have access after all, so you get this week's update a little early instead! Please leave a review, and see you next week! ~Appa

* * *

After Boushin had received a more thorough tour of the village, Juan had taken to giving him a detailed introduction to a few other things. "This is a plant you can use when your nose is stuffy," he placed it in the pile in Boushin's hands. "This is a plant that you can use when you're having trouble sleeping. This is a plant that you can use when you have a fever. This is a plant you can use when your head hurts."

Shouka had her arms folded as she stood behind him. "It might help if you tell him their names." Juan was quiet and still. "…You forgot them, didn't you?"

"That's alright, I don't think I'd remember all the names anyway," Boushin smiled, unsure what to do with the mass of twigs and leaves Juan had given him. At that moment, Tama the cat came to see what they were up to, and as he passed by, Boushin sneezed and dropped the entire pile.

"I've got a better idea," Shouka rolled her eyes at the mess. "Let's go to the other side of the stream."

"Outside the village?" asked Boushin. _There's nothing out there…_

"Let's go!" she said and headed off, and without question, Juan was right behind her. Boushin dusted the rest of the plants off his lap, and followed as well.

"What are we going to do there?"

Shouka turned back with an impish grin. "A test of courage!"

"Test of courage? I… I can do that!" he said, though he wasn't entirely sure of what she meant. He knew he could handle himself well enough should anything happen—although he had left his sword back inside the house. Surely there would be no need for it.

The afternoon dragged on as Shouka presented challenges to the boys (all of which she said she had already done before). From pointing up to the fruit at the very top of a high tree and telling them to climb up and get it, and telling them to cross old unkempt bridges, she thought of whatever way she could to get the best of them. Juan was easily bested and cried when he felt he had no choice but to meet her challenges, but Boushin was having more fun than he thought he should. For everything Shouka said, his first thought was _This could be dangerous _or _My mother would not want me to do this_, but he was quicker and quicker to push those thoughts aside.

It was exciting—and he would never be able to do anything like this once he returned to the palace. Juan's courage finally gave out when they faced a cave with a small opening. "Alright, you two," Shouka growled, doing her best to get the best of Boushin. "You need to go to the back of the cave, pick some of the mushrooms that grow in there, and then come back with them."

"You're not going to make us eat the mushrooms, are you?" Juan protested. "We don't know what they are, or what they do!"

"Don't worry, we'll save them for Uncle Tasuki."

"Oh, okay."

"Let's go, Juan," Boushin began walking towards the cave, but Juan pulled back on his wrist, shaking his head.

"I… I don't… it's…"

"Let's take a look, Juan," he smiled, and took his hand. "Come on, we won't get lost this way. I'll stay with you."

Juan looked down at his hands, and then back to Shouka. "Is that going to be against the rules?"

She rolled her eyes and nudged them inside. The ground was wet, and the air inside had a musky smell. Boushin couldn't see much as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but he could hear Juan's whimpering bouncing off the narrow walls.

"Come on, Juan, let's think of this as an adventure!"

"An adventure? Not a test?"

"Yeah! We're like… we're Suzaku warriors, off to go unseal Suzaku at the back of this cave!"

Juan smiled. "Okay…"

"We've come across trials and enemies all day to get here, and this is the last test left!"

"I hope so!"

"Once we get these mushrooms, we'll give them to Taiitsukun and she'll give Suzaku back!"

He giggled. "Her name's Shouka…"

"She's a witch now! And you and I are warriors!" Boushin said enthusiastically, and Juan's giggles encouraged him to continue. "My name's Hotohori, and you're Mitsukake."

"Okay, Hotohori!"

Boushin got swept up in describing enemies that came to face them and how they ward them off, and was completely taken by surprise when he felt something soft against his ankle.

"W-Why did you scream?" asked Juan.

"There—something touched me."

Juan bent down toward his ankles and felt around, then grew a big smile. "Mushrooms!"

"Really!? Then Shouka really _has _been in here!"

"Shouka has been everywhere. Wow, these mushrooms are so soft. So soft and feathery."

"Then all that's left is to get out of here. I sure am hungry, I'll bet we've missed dinner being out here so long."

"Just don't eat the mushrooms!"

"I won't!"

A little surer of their steps, they moved a little faster out of the cave, using whatever daylight was left to guide them. Hand in hand with their other hands full of mushrooms, they continued pretending to be warriors, ready to go summon Suzaku.

* * *

Chiriko finally noticed it had gotten dark outside. Once he got swept up in a project, he could usually go the entire day without doing much else, as had been the case today. Satisfied with the work he had done, he put his brush away and went to see if Boushin was waiting.

"They're not here?" he looked around, and asked Shouka's parents.

They didn't seem very concerned. "They're probably at Juan's house. I'm preparing dinner right now, so they should be back soon."

Chiriko felt he should find out for sure-after all, he was charged with the care of the emperor. He borrowed a lamp, discovered that the chiildren were not at Juan's house, and in his gut, he felt he should locate him right away.

* * *

Shouka had wrapped the mushrooms in a cloth, and tied them around her shoulder. "I guess you passed the test," she affirmed them, somewhat disappointed. Boushin and Juan both looked very proud of themselves. "We should hurry up and get back. My mommy will be really mad if we miss dinner. Your mommy has already tossed yours out by now, Juan!"

"What? Oh no! I'm so hungry!"

"Why were we out so late, then?" Boushin made a face at her. "We only had fruit for lunch, after all!"

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well, it's… it's light. A proper lunch should…"

Boushin was cut off by the sound of a growl—a growl that did not belong to their stomachs. Very cautiously, the young emperor looked over his shoulder, and saw a beast staring directly at him.

"Wolves," Shouka whispered, and he took Juan's hand tightly. "D… don't run, or they'll chase you," her voice quivered. "Back… up… slowly…"

Feeling around his person for his sword, Boushin's hands were empty. As his breathing became heavier, he could only listen to Shouka's instructions, but with not even two steps backward, he fell to the ground, barely able to move as fear seized him. The wolf, accompanied by a couple others, stepped closer.

He was no Suzaku warrior. Without everything his father had handed down to him, he was nothing. His body shook from head to toe as he stared back at the beast.

To everyone's surprise, there was a shout. Chiriko came running towards them, waving a branch he had lit up from the lamp, and brandishing it towards the wolves. Once he was between the children the wolves, continued to yell and advance. The wolves backed up a few steps before turning to run. Once he was sure they were gone, Chiriko tossed the flaming branch into the stream and sank to his knees with a sigh of relief; his hands shaking all the way to his elbows. Still, he regained enough composure to glare back at Boushin for having gone so far.

Boushin didn't notice, and once he regained some ability to move, he sprang towards Chiriko and hugged him tightly, starting to cry and hiccup. "I was… I was so scared…"

Chiriko's anger faded, and stroked his head.

Once the young group had recovered enough to walk and talk again, Chiriko took the opportunity to lecture them. Juan was bawling, and even Shouka looked like she was about to wail at any time, whereas Boushin only quietly sniffled and stared at this feet. Going on with a lecture only made him feel guilty at that point, the adult sighed. "As long as you all learned your lesson and you're all alright, then everything is fine. I'm sure you'll hear more from your parents, so we'll do everyone a favor and keep the part about the wolf secret."

"Thank you… sniffle… Uncle Chiriko… sniffle…"

"We won't… hic… we won't… hic… do it again…"

Sure enough, there was more lecture to be had once they were home, and after an awkward dinner, Boushin and Chiriko were alone back in their room, the boy still staring at the floor. "Are you alright, Boushin?"

"Thank you for saving me."

"I'm just glad I got there in time, and that… oh, I should I add other warriors to this," he turned to his stack of papers on the desk.

"What's that?"

"Your homework. For now, please get some rest."

For the first night in several, Boushin feel asleep quickly.

* * *

"You sure you want to go to class today?"

"I'm sure. Thank you for driving me. Isn't this going to make you late?"

"It's okay, I'm happy to. I don't want you to be alone. I'll make sure to come by for lunch, too. What time will you get out of class?"

"Thank you, Tetsuya." Her voice sounded tired and vacant, and she snuggled into the front seat with her eyes closed.

"Has the book…" he started, "has it been calling you stronger?"

"I don't know. It's probably nothing. This girl's just getting to me, that's all."

"I'm going to make sure that she doesn't get to you! She's crazy!"

"Hm," she acknowledged.

Once they reached her campus, Tetsuya stepped out of the car with her, and they embraced. Yui felt like she could melt into him and be protected from everything troubling her, and she relaxed. "I'm so happy you're here."

"No matter what happens, I'm going to take care of you. Plan on meeting me at the place on the corner for lunch, okay? I'll be there."

She couldn't help but smile. "You're so worried. What's going to happen out here in broad daylight, anyway?"

"Nothing's going to happen, because I'll be there!"

"You're so gallant," she smiled and pushed away, forcing herself to face reality and distract herself from her imagination. "I'll need to talk with my classmates about a group project, so I might be a little late. Don't let that worry you, alright?"

He held her arms and looked down into her face, and smiled and nodded.

* * *

Hope is a breaking point. Even a little of it will push someone far enough to forget everything that had held them back. "Lord Nakago," Suboshi knelt in front of the emperor. "The troops are well in order. They have daily training exercises to follow, and they obey my subordinates' orders as well as they do my own."

"Good work."

"I would like to request a leave of absence."

"To go to Sairou to see Amiboshi, I take it," he replied.

"You're correct, My Lord," he smiled to the floor as he kept his head bowed, startled but pleased that he would not need to come up with an explanation for himself. "Please be assured that I will be returning to my duties as soon as I can see my brother's condition."

"Since he's forgotten about you, your connection has been cut off," Nakago looked towards the western window. "Do you intend to speak with him, and take him back here with you?"

"No. I would merely like to set my mind at ease."

"You certainly have been troubled as of late," he smiled directly back at him. This made Suboshi fearful, but he could only acknowledge that Nakago was correct. The emperor continued, "I have no use for a distracted general. You should go and take care of this matter."

"Thank you!" he smiled up at him. "I will return as soon as I'm finished."

"Make sure to accomplish everything you set out to do."


	8. Reading Material

**Author Fangirling:** Hi ho, Appa here. Enough build up, now the plot gets to go haywire!

* * *

The next morning, Chiriko presented the stack of papers to Boushin. "What's this?" the young emperor asked.

"I've written about Miaka and each of the Suzaku warriors, as well as other warriors we had encountered. I've written everything I could recall about their backgrounds here. Once you know them well, it will be easier to tell you what happened."

"That's a good idea! I can't wait to read…" Boushin looked closer at the paper and noticed how small Chiriko's writing was. "How much did you write!?"

"I'm sure I'm forgetting things, and I was up late writing about the others, so they might not be as complete." Nonetheless, he looked proud of himself.

There was a knock at the door, followed by Shouka and Juan poking their heads in.

"Can Boushin play today?"

"We promise we won't go so far…"

"No, Boushin must get some reading done today," he gave them a soft smile. "I could go with you, though."

"No, that's okay. We'll just play with Boushin tomorrow."

Boushin got the distinct impression that Chiriko was sulking. He wanted to sulk a little too when he saw Shouka and Juan out the window entertaining each other, but he turned his attention to the writings.

They were thorough, and included everything about the Suzaku warriors from where they were from, to what their families were like, to what their powers were. They even included his father's traits that no one had ever told him before. He did have to ask Shouka's parents what a few of the words he did not understand meant, and even though they could not understand all the characters themselves, they could still tell him what "narcissist" meant.

He had no idea his father had such a flaw, but with all the posthumous praise the officials still showered him with, he found it amusing—so much so that he could not help but laugh. Maybe his mythical being of a father was a real person after all.

Taking a moment to rest his eyes, he sighed and wondered if his father would take as much pride in him. With a glance at the sword, his mind wandered to his encounter with the wolves the night before. His stomach welled up with shame, and he pressed on reading.

The descriptions became sparser as the pages went on to describe the Seiryuu warriors, but they still provided lots of details about powers and abilities, as well as Emperor Nakago's humble background. Surprised though Boushin was to read about the treatment of the Hin tribe living in Kutou long before he was born, he was not sympathetic.

Boushin also found Chiriko's description of Miboshi interesting. There was nothing written about Chiriko's encounter with him, but he noted that his current whereabouts were unknown.

Boushin's eyes hurt by the time he was asked to join everyone for dinner, but he felt content. Surprising though some details Chiriko had included were, such as Nuriko's participation in the imperial harem, he accepted it all and felt that he really had gotten to know the warriors a bit more—even Tasuki and Chichiri. Wouldn't they be surprised to know how much more he knew about them now!

Juan had joined them for dinner, and Boushin continued to absorb information as they talked and talked about what they did that day, trying to fill Boushin in on everything he missed out on. Juan was handing him more plants they had found and telling him what they could do to the human body, and Shouka showed him a flower lanyard she had made before placing it on his head. To her dismay, it was too small to fit beyond his ears.

"Oh," Juan observed. "You're an emperor." Boushin and Chiriko looked at him with wide eyes, and he continued. "When we were playing yesterday, you were Hotohori."

"That's right," he smiled, somewhat relieved. "Did I mention that Hotohori was an emperor?"

Juan frowned. "I thought you did… maybe…"

Chiriko broke out into a smile with a knot in his throat. "Why don't you go out them again tomorrow? We'll talk in the evenings."

* * *

_Tetsuya is waiting for me. I just have to get to where Tetsuya is. I'll be alright. Tetsuya will be there. _

By lunchtime, Yui was more anxious than she thought she'd be. It felt like the book was getting closer, or that something was following her through the halls, or that there were voices whispering her name. Close as the restaurant was, her campus seemed longer than usual, and winding—winding like the streets and alleys of the capital back in Kutou. She just needed to turn the corner of this last building, pass the soccer field and the bicycle racks, and walk along the back of the equipment sheds to reach the east gate. But as she turned, there she was: Mayo Sakaki.

Yui took a step back and gave her a firm look. "What are you doing here, Sakaki? You should be at school."

"Something as trivial as that doesn't matter now," she smiled. She was dressed in street clothes and was carrying a full backpack. It looked like she was ready for a long trip, and had no trace of a school uniform through which someone could connect with her. "You know what I'm here for."

"I don't know how to give you Suzaku, and I don't care. You should get rid of that book, if you know what's good for you."

"I am the new Priestess of Suzaku, and I must claim him back from you."

"You're crazy! And this has nothing to do with me anymore. I made my last wish and now I'm free of that stupid book."

"The book that claimed your friend Miaka Yuuki?" she pulled it out and held it with two hands in front of her face, glowering at Yui over the top of it. Yui gasped at the sight of it.

"You shouldn't have that! Get rid of it right now!"

"You never finished your role in this. Seiryuu has only been dormant."

"No! You're wrong! I have nothing to do with it anymore!"

"You know it still needs you for the story to continue."

"Stop it!"

* * *

Suboshi had made it out off the coast of Kutou in a private boat. The moonlight was bright; it reminded him of the night Yui had summoned Seiryuu. "Lady Yui," he said, and held his hands out towards the sky. "I'm here."

As if an extension of his hands, Seiryuu Seikun reached through him. _Hear me, my priestess._

* * *

"Give back Suzaku," Mayo yelled as the book began to emit a bright blue light. "Unleash him to me, Priestess of Seiryuu!"

Yui screamed as the light enveloped her, and she could clearly hear a voice inside of it.

"_Lady Yui!"_

* * *

Tetsuya had already ordered a drink, and played with the ice with his straw. A smile crept to his face as he waited, anticipating that Yui would soon join him.

* * *

Two days had already passed in the secluded mountain village. Boushin played with Juan and Shouka in the daytime, but made sure to be back early to hear as much storytelling as Chiriko could fit into a single night. Now that he had been given permission to share everything and he had already called to mind many details to share, Chiriko had become more enthusiastic about sharing the story with Boushin, even accidentally sharing details he did not intend to. Poor Nuriko's romantic past was now completely exposed.

Boushin sat on his bed with a wide smile as Chiriko orated, and Boushin pressed him with questions. "But my father didn't really kill Tamahome. He must have only come close!"

"Very close. He would have died, had Mitsukake not been there."

"But what about the kodoku? Mitsukake didn't think he could heal that!"

"No, not when it comes to the mind," he replied with a hand to his head, which then fell to his heart. "But love can penetrate the mind. Miaka threw her herself against his body once he collapsed, and helped him to hold the sword over her. She insisted that if he must, he should kill her, and they would perish together. Too taken aback by her love, Tamahome's mind was disturbed. As his life force was diminishing, so did the kodoku, and at last he was able to be disenthralled of it."

"Disenthralled? Wait, I don't understand… you said that in a strange way."

"I wasn't clear?" he blinked, and put a hand back to his head.

"That's alright, it wasn't that strange… Chiriko?" asked Boushin. Chiriko's hand had gone to gripping his head as he stared at the floor widely, and the sudden change scared the boy. "Are you alright?"

Without warning, Chiriko stood up fast enough for the chair to fall over as he sprang to the window, and looked around as if he had been startled by something. He gazed intensely at the sky between his fingers.

"Chiriko, what's wrong? Are you going to be sick? Chiriko?"

A moment of silence later and he finally spoke. "I'm fine. I just need a few minutes. Let's stop here for tonight."

"Alright," he cautiously replied. "I'll go get you some water."

As Boushin left the room, Chiriko looked back up to the stars. For the first time in a decade, he was able to understand messages hidden among them.

* * *

Later in the night, Chichiri shifted around in bed, having woken up. He would have soon fallen back asleep, had he not noticed Miaka's silhouette standing by the window. "Miaka? You alright?" he sat up.

She turned back with a bittersweet smile. "It's Yui. She's come back."

"Are you sure?"

"There no mistaking her," she shook her head. "She's back here, somewhere in this world."

"Why?"

"I don't know, but I need to find her."

"Even though she thinks you've died?"

"It doesn't matter. If she's here, then something's brought her, and it can't be good."

"Where is she then? Kutou?"

"I don't know. I just need to go out and find her, wherever she is. I can sense her this clearly, so it can't be too hard."

"But what if Nakago finds out you're still alive?"

"What does that matter anymore, Chichiri?"

"It'll be dangerous, you know. But I'll make sure you find her. I'll protect you."

"I know you will," she smiled, and touched his chest at arm's length. "You must not have noticed what else is back."

Chichiri was confused, but a moment later he recognized something familiar. Without a word, he turned from her to a bamboo hat he had set in the kitchen. Holding it up in one hand, and he jabbed the other through, and it disappeared.

* * *

Tetsuya heard his phone ring. He figured it was Yui, but hadn't expected her to call. Instead, the caller identification showed it was Keisuke. "Hey, what's up?"

"You're with Yui, right?"

"I'm about to be."

"Shoot. I can't get ahold of her on her phone."

"Well, it's off, that's why."

"Go out and find her. Sakaki's cutting school and probably out looking for her. Her parents don't know where she is either."

"Don't tell me she'd be on the campus!" he yelled, and was already standing up to run out. "Damn it! I shouldn't have waited so long! You get out here too, Keisuke!"

"And cut work?"

"That's what I'm doing, now just hurry up and come track this girl down! I've got to find Yui!"

Tetsuya hung up and ran down the street, in through the gate, and down along the back of the sheds. Had he been any less observant, he would have completely missed the book lying on the ground. He shouted in frustration, and continued repeating swear words under his breath as he picked it up, and opened to any random page. He didn't even read it, but could tell right away that it was not a scene he recognized. The story was moving, and for the book to be left there, it meant Yui had already been taken.

Later on in his apartment, he and Keisuke sat on either side of a table, looking at the book between them. "I should have just met her on campus," he said, his head in his hands. "I was _right there_, Keisuke. This happened two minutes away from me and I was just sitting there."

"You're not a celestial warrior, don't beat yourself up for not being psychic," responded Keisuke. "First we have to figure out what's going on right now."

"Yui's in the book, we can probably tell that much."

"Right. Let's just see who it's following right now."

"If not Yui, then who? Sakaki?"

"If she left the book there, then there's a good chance she's been taken too."

"That girl is nuts. Is she trying to be the new Priestess of Suzaku or something?"

"We can't just leave her there if that's where she is. Here we go, let's start here. 'The Priestess of Suzaku and Chichiri left before dawn.'"

"Aw, great. It's following Sakaki."

"Just let me keep reading, Tetsuya! 'When asked how she could be sure of the way, the Priestess put a hand to her heart and told him that bonds from the past would lead her to her friend. This time, she would be sure not to leave… her…'" Keisuke trailed off until he became silent.

"What? Why'd you stop?"

"It's… Miaka."

"No way!" Tetsuya took the book out of his hands and looked over the page himself, his eyes growing wider with every word. He looked back to Keisuke, who looked dumbfounded as tears started forming.

"She's alive, Tetsuya. Miaka's still alive! She's been living in the Universe of the Four Gods this entire time," the words dribbled out of his mouth, and then he broke into a wide smile and shouted, "She's alive!"


	9. New Travels

Chiriko woke up to find Boushin sitting on the bed across from him, looking on with concern. "I brought you breakfast," he said.

"That was nice of you. Thank you, Boushin."

"You were up half the night staring out the window."

"I'm alright. Why don't you go play with Juan?"

"I'll stay here today. There's still a lot more to hear about the story."

"Yes, there is, isn't there?" he eyed him. "You're right. Let's hurry up and tell you this story."

"Why do we need to hurry?"

"Oh, no hurry. Let's just talk before we have any interruptions."

"…Are you expecting any?"

"Not necessarily, but you never know with Juan and Shouka," he smiled. "Who knows, Tasuki might drop in on us, too."

"In that case… Tamahome was dying with the kodoku…"

"Right. Once the kodoku had been neutralized, Tamahome had returned to his former self, with no recollection…"

The day stretched on, as did the story, but Boushin could not shake the feeling that Chiriko was on edge.

* * *

The book had succeeded in drawing Suzaku out of wherever Yui had sealed him, and putting everything as it should be. Trusting in that, Mayo knew that she had been brought to the Universe of the Four Gods. She had come and brought Suzaku with her!

She felt heavy as she tried to push her body up into a sitting position, which it finally did with some effort. The instant she opened her eyes to look around, however, she saw several spears pointed at her, and men with deep voices ordering her to halt. "You dare point that at me?" she said with a sideways glance as the world started to go dark again. "I'm…" she started as she began to fall back down, "…the Priestess of Suzaku."

* * *

Daybreak had never looked so lovely. The sea was calm as the boat sailed on, and the air was moving westward. It was as if every element in the universe had come together in harmony for this perfect moment Suboshi never thought would happen.

He looked away from the horizon and back down to Yui, who was sleeping.

The night before, he had caught her as she descended from the sky, thoroughly disoriented.

"Su… Suboshi?" she had looked into his eyes with shock as she floated down to her feet. "Is that you?"

"It is, Lady Yui," he nodded. "It's been a long time."

"Why am I back here?" she looked increasingly troubled. "I can't be here… does Nakago know…?"

"Ssh. He doesn't know. I'm going to take you to Sairou to keep you safe. The boat has already set sail, and it shouldn't take long to get there."

"You'll hide me?"

"Yes. Far away from Kutou! I'm the only one who knows you're here. I'll keep you safe."

She closed her eyes peacefully. "Then even now, you knew something was calling me. Thank you, Suboshi."

It only hit him now that he was probably that which called her there. His desire was strong enough to span the worlds and drag her back against her will, but so long as he could keep her with him, he did not care for what intention it was.

When Yui eventually woke up, she felt the rocking and smelled the sea, and reluctantly acknowledged that she wasn't dreaming. When she opened her eyes, she saw Suboshi sitting across from her with a smile. "Are you hungry, Lady Yui?"

"Hnn… not yet."

"I'll have food ready whenever you want it. Just say the word. Rest as much as you want."

"How long has it been?"

"Pardon?"

"You've gotten older. Look at you, you've got facial hair now. How long has it been since I left?"

"Oh, just a little," he rubbed his chin with a sheepish smile. "It's been ten years. You've grown your hair out too."

"It's been about four years for me. You're so much older than me now."

"That doesn't matter. You're beautiful, Lady Yui. I'm sure you're still much smarter than me, too."

She closed her eyes with a smirk. "You haven't changed."

"I'm so happy to see you again, Lady Yui."

"Hnn."

Despite his joy, Suboshi could tell she wasn't happy to be back with him—or at least, not back in his world. He knew she hated it there, but as long as she would not be in Nakago's clutches, that would keep her happy enough.

That would be enough.

* * *

Those with celestial destinies had a knack for sensing the life forces of others like them, and sensing changes in the balances of power between the stars and the gods. Some were more attune to it than others, or more attune to _certain_ others, but the sense was in all of them.

Few, however, were more adept than Nakago.

"Lord Nakago," asked a voice, as a simple-looking man appeared behind the emperor. "I take it you're aware?"

He hmphed with a smile, not bothering to face him. "It certainly took long enough."

"And you'll just let him take off with her?"

"I needed Suboshi as a medium to bring the priestess back. She's completely closed herself off to me, and even closed herself off from Seiryuu, who is still coupled with her."

"However dormant that may be."

"Something awaked Seiryuu, and that awakened Suboshi," he at last bothered looking the man in the eye. "However, whatever that is has also drawn out Suzaku while Seiryuu was still sleeping."

"Then they'll have their powers back," the man scoffed. "What if they were to summon Suzaku?"

"They lost that hope ages ago. It's no business of Kutou anymore."

The man gave him a knowing glance. "Kutou is hardly your business either."

"It would inconvenience me if they try to interfere. If they see reason to, they can be more of a thorn in my side than Suboshi ever could."

"Would they?"

"Hope won't inspire them too. Revenge, perhaps, could."

"Revenge, even on peaceful terms? I'm glad to see you still think of these things and haven't grown soft with success. Does it bother you enough to take measures?"

"It bothers you enough to use it as an excuse take out your boredom on them."

The man had a cocky smile. "Ten years is an instant for me."

"Do as you please. I'll handle Suboshi at the appropriate time."

"As you command, Lord Nakago."

The man vanished, and Nakago inwardly scoffed at how little he knew.

* * *

"Miaka's going west. Why is Miaka going west? Did she forget where Kutou is?" Tetsuya eagerly leaned against Keisuke to read the book himself.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Miaka will find Yui."

"Yeah, when has _that _ever worked out?"

"You don't seem happy at all that Miaka's, you know, back from the dead?"

"I am! I'm just irritated with this book for abandoning Miaka long enough to make it look like she died, and then only cutting back to her when who knows what could be happening to Yui! Can't we flip ahead or read between the lines or something!?"

"Wait—it's switching scenes!"

"Good, finally—but now they're mentioning Houki! Yui wouldn't be there!"

"We don't know anything yet, shut up! 'Empress Houki, on behalf of the court, welcomed the girl from another world…'"

"Yui!"

"'…though was wary of her claim to be the Priestess of Suzaku.'"

"Aw, crap. It _is_ Sakaki."

"'After all, she herself did not know…'" Keisuke's voice grew faint as he read over words he had not encountered in the book before. "…that she was the Vessel."


	10. Partings, Meetings

**Author Fangirling: **Here ends the happy adventures of the childhood trio! Back to mature characters leading the courses of action. Meh, adults are lame! ...Or maybe I'm just saying that because I've aged as much as the original cast has here. It's not fair! Boushin, Juan, Shouka, let me hang out, too! ~Appa

* * *

"In other words… that was the _first _time you failed?" Boushin had a deadpan look at Chiriko, an expression begging him to say that it was all a bad joke. "Because you were late, and the scroll had already burned to ash?"

"You needn't forget the hand the Seiryuu warriors played in this, but yes, that is correct."

"How many failed attempts did you all have?"

"That was the only _ceremonial _attempt, you could say."

"I'm still surprised," he said, and allowed him to continue. _And disappointed. Why did you never try again? What kind of legend is this? _

The story continued on to Hokkan and Sairou, where Boushin's father did not follow. A voice in the back of Boushin's head said that had his father gone along that things would had turned out better—he would have helped Nuriko behead the wolf-man so he wouldn't return to steal the Shinzaho, or he wouldn't have allowed Miaka to run off and be tricked by the illusion-man, anything—though the fact remained that he died in vain later on.

Instead of leaving their discussion to only the evening, Boushin was asking questions as they got dressed in the morning, driving them from the point they left off the night before. "The Priestess of Byakko went home after summoning the beast god, even though she and Tatara wanted to marry each other?"

"That's correct. They asked the beast god to let her stay there as one of her wishes, but this was a wish he could not grant."

"Then even if Miaka had summoned Suzaku, he wouldn't let her stay when she was finished. That's probably what she would have wanted to wish for so she could be with Tamahome."

"Tamahome would have wished for it too. Perhaps they could have asked for Tamahome to join her in her own world, but we never had a chance to find out."

"But if she went home, she would have missed everyone else, too. You all have such a strong bond." He felt a heated question burning in his throat, waiting to be let out. "That's not why she decided never to summon Suzaku, is it?"

"What? No! The decision was never ours to make—Suzaku was sealed, and the Seiryuu warriors took the Shinzaho from us!"

"Twice."

"Yes, twice."

"But what if Suzaku wasn't sealed? What if there was some other way?"

"It's… it's still impossible."

"Why—"

They were interrupted by the usual morning knock, and the door opening before an invitation. "Is Pretty Boy ready yet?"

"Pretty Boy? Shouka, don't call me that!"

She made a face at him and Boushin would have done the same, had he not been reprimanded for such actions his entire life. Juan asked in his usual quiet voice, "Uncle Chiriko, did you hurt your foot?"

"My foot?" he looked down to the bandages he had wrapped around it. "Yes, I tripped the other day. It's fine, though, thank you for asking. Why don't you all go have a nice time together? After all, we'll need to hurry and depart tomorrow."

"What!?" protested Boushin, this being the first he had heard of leaving so soon. "But the war hasn't even started yet!"

"War?" the other two children cocked their heads.

"I already promised to tell you the whole story, so can always continue when we get back."

"But why?"

"I'm sure your mother is worried about us, and I'd like to check on the state of affairs at the palace."

"Palace?"

"He means at the 'place'! The place… the place where Tasuki lives!" covered Boushin as he pushed them out the room before they were confused by anything else. "Let's just hurry up and go!"

Outside, the boys sat in the grass as Shouka strutted back and forth, waving a cattail as she orated. "I never want to see the place where the bandits live! Treasure though there might be, gold does nothing! And with all those smelly bandits under one roof, I'm sure it reeks! I'm surprised we can't smell it from here!" There was no response. Irritated that there was no response, she shot a glance at them, but only mirrored their frowns.

Uncomfortable in the silence, Juan finally mumbled, "Why do you need to go away tomorrow?"

"I don't know," he answered in a vacant tone. "Chiriko won't tell me anything. I knew I couldn't stay here forever, but… something's wrong now, I'm sure."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. He stays up all night looking outside, like there's something out there. And he won't tell me what it is."

"Maybe's he's on the lookout for wolves coming to eat you again," grinned Shouka as she held pretend claws over his head.

"Stop it!"

While Boushin and Shouka bickered and teased, Juan looked back to the grass and wrinkled up his face. Before long, he sniffled, the tears started flowing, and then he buried his face in his arms and started whimpering. As if it were contagious, Boushin felt a rush of tears hit his own face, and he swallowed hard. "That's enough, Juan, it's… it's alright…"

"But you're my friend!" he shouted back, his face flushed and nose running even more than his eyes.

The words hit Boushin with enough force that he could no longer contain himself, and with his face wrinkling up and getting ready for a wail, he leaned over and hugged Juan around the shoulders. "You're my best friend, Juan."

"You're my best friend too, Boushin," he hugged back.

Touching though it might have been, Shouka folded her arms and glared down at them. "And what am I?"

"You… you're Shouka…"

"Yeah. You're Shouka."

"Well, fine. Don't go thinking that I'll miss you too, why would I do that?"

"Fine, don't!"

"You don't understand sarcasm yet, you're such a kid," she rolled her eyes, and knelt down next to him. "I'm going to have to work extra hard to keep Juan company after this, you know. He's going to cry and cry and cry."

He finally had a sense of what she meant, and smiled at her. "Sorry to trouble you."

"Just make sure to take care of yourself, too," she patted his head. "And come back when Uncle Chiriko will let you."

"More like when my mother will let me. Oh! You should come see me someday! I'll send escorts for you two and your parents to come see me where I live! There's room for all of you!"

"I want two rooms!"

"Of course!"

"I was still being sarcastic."

"Will you come see me, Juan?" he turned his attention to him, and then lowered his voice. "I've gotten to see what your home is like. I want to show you my life, too."

"Okay, I will," he nodded, though he was a little unsure of how long of a journey it could take. "Because… we Suzaku warriors gotta stick together."

Boushin was caught by surprise, but quickly remembered their game and smiled. "Right. I'm glad I can count on you."

* * *

Yui stood calmly at the boat's edge as the morning grew later, and Suboshi approached and handed her a steamed bun. She smiled and thanked him, and he gazed forward with her. "We should reach Sairou today. I know exactly where we're going after that, and I think we can get there just after nightfall."

"I'm surprised you have this so well thought out. I always thought you did things on impulse."

"I still do," he gave her a smile. Rather, he had hardly stopped smiling since she arrived. "I'm surprised, too. You're so calm. I thought you would have been… well…"

"Hysterical?"

"Something like tha—I mean, no! No! Nothing like that!"

"It's funny, isn't it?" she casually leaned on the railing of the ship. "Somehow, I knew this was going to happen. It might just be because I already fretted about it ahead of time, but I'm taking it a lot better than I thought I would."

"Whatever it is, I'm glad," he replied, and he had an earnest and fond look glazed over his face as he leaned in towards her. Yui immediately tensed back up and stepped away as casually as she could.

"So why Sairou?" she asked, but really didn't care. It was simply a matter of changing the subject. She hadn't forgotten Suboshi's feelings for her, and she was sure that he hadn't either. For now he was all she had to rely on, so for his mental stability's sake she did not want to mention having a significant other.

"Oh, right. Since you like having some warning, I should let you know that my brother is still alive."

"Amiboshi? He didn't die ten years ago? I had no idea! And you were so sure…"

"Well, he cut off ties with everyone, even me, so it was harder to sense him," he looked lonely, but was still smiling. "Not that it was all on purpose. At least, it's not his fault now."

"Not his fault?"

"It's mine." He looked innocent with that smile still stuck there. "Actually, this is the first time I'll be seeing him in ten years."

"Really?" she sounded suspicious. "Just what did you do to him to make him that mad?" she asked, but could think of a number of possible answers immediately afterward. Everything Tetsuya and Keisuke had informed her about was finally come back to her. She remembered that she had, in fact, heard about Amiboshi, as well as Suboshi forcing him to forget everything. Of course, they had also told her more about Suboshi's violence then she ever knew much about while he was serving her. A chill went down her spine, reminding her she couldn't be so relaxed.

The warrior only laughed. "Oh, Lady Yui. I've missed your wit."

"Yes, well," she trailed off and looked out at the sea. "Evidently you're not the only thing in this world that's missed me."

* * *

"Yes. Suzaku called me here to finish what was left unfulfilled," Mayo stood before the court, utterly sure of herself. "I can feel him right here," she put her fingertips to her core, "inside of me."

The officials looked to each other with mixed responses. A few were cautiously excited, others suspicious. "She ate Suzaku?" Counselor Chou whispered to Counselor Shu.

"No. That's the center of her chi," the older one whispered back. "Surely that must be where she feels him resonating the most."

"But how can we be sure of what she feels?"

"I'm not sure of it myself, Chou. I know you're skeptical, and even though I can't say I'm qualified to know, I believe I can feel his presence here myself."

"That's hope getting the better of you."

Houki could hear their conversation, and was taking a shrewd look at Mayo. Her clothes and belongings were nothing that could be found in Konan and probably not even in nearby lands, and she was a blossoming young woman, still childlike as Miaka was when Houki had made her acquaintance. If Suzaku were to seek a replacement, she seemed an appropriate choice. Still, how self-assured she was made Houki ill at ease.

Mayo stood quietly and looked straight back at them as they analyzed her, but her knees began to give way. Houki was the first to notice and stood in surprise as she yelled for someone to catch her, which a guard did just before she hit the floor. Houki's gown swished around her ankles as she stepped quickly to her side. "Lady Mayo, it seems Suzaku has sapped you of your strength."

"Yes, it's exhausting."

"Prepare a room," she ordered, and held on to her arm as she helped her back up to her feet. "I'll assign a handmaid to you shortly to try to keep you comfortable."

"A handmaid can only do so much," she replied and put a hand up to her dizzy head. "What about the Suzaku warriors? Shouldn't at least one of them still be here?"

"He is absent for the time being. I will have him speak with you as soon as he returns from his journey." After all, thought Houki, someoneneeded to determine what was going on.

* * *

Chiriko was increasingly on edge. He couldn't say anything was wrong yet, but sudden changes could only make him think something would be—how surprising, he thought, that something as good as his powers returning could only make him so nervous.

Even more terrifying, he thought he felt a presence he had hoped to forget. With a gasp, he looked up at the sky. Of all the things to sense again—

"There you are, Chiriko!"

His thoughts were cut off as his clothing combusted into flames. The flames were quickly extinguished as he and Tasuki patted them out, and, thoroughly singed, Chiriko had the energy to shout, "What was that for!?"

"Sorry! I forgot it did this so easily," he held up the tessen, which had regained its ability to start fires. "Ya' need to chill out, you were completely spacin' out there! Shouldn't your character be back, too?"

"It is, I'm just concerned about everything else that might be happening. Everything has started to move again."

"It makes me nervous, too. I mean, why now, outta nowhere?"

"Now that you're here, let's go straight to Miaka and Chichiri."

"Boushin stayin' here, or what?"

"No. I still need to keep an eye on him."

"How much trouble could he get into with Mitsukake?"

"You'd be surprised."

When they found them to announce that it was time to leave, Shouka (the real cause of trouble) excitedly brought the "Suzaku mushrooms" for Tasuki to try, but he barely acknowledged her playfulness today. The children's parents came to bid the group farewell, leaving Boushin and Juan to have everyone witness their final goodbye.

"Um," the younger one said, and fidgeted with something in his hand. "It's a long way back, isn't it?"

"It is, but I'll come back again someday, I promise! Or you can come see me!"

"I don't know…" he trailed off. He didn't have the courage to finish that statement by telling him he was afraid to go, so instead he outstretched his hand. "I… I made this for you."

"Oh," the young emperor replied, putting out his hand to catch what he'd drop into it. It was another pouch on a string. "Is this more medicine?"

"No, it's… it's a good luck charm, but it smells nice too. It's to keep you safe… it'll be a long way, so… I can't go with you, but… but this can."

Boushin broke into a smile, and almost into tears. "I'll wear it every day." With that, they embraced, choking back the sobs they already shared the day before. Boushin whispered, "We'll see each other again soon."

Once he left with his chaperone and bandit acquaintance and disappeared behind the trees, Juan was left watching. Shouka stayed with him, thinking carefully. _Uncle Tasuki wasn't himself today. Boushin said Uncle Chiriko was tense. Whatever's going on, they're taking Boushin into the middle of it. _She tightened her grip on Juan's hand, grateful that he was left with her. She could not shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.


	11. Abilities

**Author Fangirling: **In this chapter, more of the past becomes clear... or does it? Wahaha. Cookies to anyone who knows who shows up at the end of the chapter! Thanks for reading, and please review! See you next week! -Appa

* * *

Though Boushin wasn't especially familiar with the area, he could still recognize that they were on their way to Tamahome's village. "Why are we going back here?"

"To see Miaka and Chichiri."

"I could tell that much," he lowered his voice and looked back and forth at the backs of their heads, as they hadn't bothered looking back. "Didn't we just see them a few days ago?"

"Do you not want to see them after hearing about how we failed to summon Suzaku?"

"Not that I've heard everything yet," he said, still lower. _However_, he thought, _even if the Shinzaho were already used to summon Seiryuu, can't they be used again? If they can enable Suzaku to be summoned even without the Universe of the Four Gods scroll or all the warriors, then… then I could very well order them to go out and find them again, if I wanted to…!_

_What if there's some other way, too? _

_Suzaku must want to be unsealed… he must want to be summoned!_

* * *

_Does Seiryuu want me to finish what I started?_ pondered Yui. _Mayo Sakaki must have meant that wishing to get out of here wasn't a wish at all. She could probably see it clear as day in the Universe of the Four Gods that I didn't say anything specific, right? What was the word…? Kai…_

A sharp pain flashed through her chest, as if resonating with the word she had just remembered.

_That's right. I was afraid to say it. I wanted that more than anything else I could have wished for, but I didn't want to say it because I was afraid to get swallowed up by Seiryuu._

"Lady Yui, are you tired? Should we take a break? We should reach my brother's village by nightfall."

"I'm fine. Let's keep going."

"You sound like you've gotten much stronger."

"I hope so."

* * *

Mayo had been treated to a silk robe and a decorated room, one of the most comfortable Konan had to offer. Still, there was a draft from the window, the walls did not keep out any noise, and the bed was firm as a gymnasium floor. Actually, she thought, a modern day gymnasium probably would have been far more comfortable.

Nevertheless, she had no energy to complain. Every limb felt heavy and sapped of strength, but she was sure she felt Suzaku's physical presence instead of only his will that she had felt through the book. Perhaps her will had reached out to him as well, strong even to transcend all the barriers the failed priestess could not. She had already summoned him, and could start making wishes as soon as she felt up to it-not that she wanted everything to go so fast.

Furthermore, she knew Seiryuu must have reawakened as well, and Yui would need to make her final wish. Mayo decided to wait and see how Yui would act before deciding how to use her wishes.

After a little time in bed, she decided she felt well enough to get off the slab of rock everyone else dared to call a bed, and go explore the palace. Despite how flimsy the doors looked, however, Mayo was not able to open them. She jiggled and pulled at the handle, then pushed against the other door trying to get enough leverage to force the other open. They rattled loudly, but didn't budge. "Hey!" she finally yelled and beat against it. "Let me out! Do you mean to take me prisoner?"

A moment later, Houki opened the door with ease, startling Mayo enough to make her scream. "Lady Mayo, is everything alright?"

"The… the door, it was locked!"

"This door does not have a lock. Perhaps they were stuck."

"They were not just stuck, I'm sure!"

"I'll have someone come and see if they need repairs—"

"You're just making excuses! You don't want me to run aw—uhgh!" She put a hand to her mouth as she felt her stomach turning on her. Houki called for someone to bring a pot, and guided Mayo down into a crouching position. The pot arrived just in time for Mayo to vomit into it, and Houki stroked her shoulder to comfort her.

"It's alright. I'm sure it will pass quickly."

Mayo wasn't left with many complaints about returning to bed, and Houki stayed with her. "It certainly is surprising to have another priestess come. We all thought it would be impossible to ever summon Suzaku. I'm sure everyone will be very excited."

"How long has it been… since the last priestess died?"

"Ten years."

"You… you were going to have Hotohori's baby, weren't you?"

"I did. Boushin is but a child, but he is now the emperor, Reizeitei."

"Then I guess he stays behind closed doors or something."

"His advisors and I are still responsible for official matters. You'll meet him when the time is appropriate."

"But I already summoned Suzaku. He's here, inside of me. Do you not believe me?"

"It's still all very surprising, Lady Mayo—"

"You don't believe me! You're just as bad as every other adult that feigns care and concern. You all just want to make sure I'm not causing trouble. None of you know anything! Suzaku is free, and he called out to _me_! How else would I know about this? How else would I have gotten here from my own world? I'll prove it!"

"Lady Mayo, please—"

"Kai—" she started to yell, but she forcefully fell back into her bed, as if pushed down by the mouth. She had no strength to fight, and only moaned.

"Please, save your strength," pleaded Houki. "I need to you to wait until your warriors are here to assist you. We need you to take care of yourself-and Suzaku."

Mayo was quiet, and gave her a slight nod.

* * *

"Miaka! Chichiri! Where are you guys?" Tasuki was on his third loop around the house, having already gone through the house twice. "Where are they, on a picnic?"

Chiriko furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't like this."

"They've been laying low for ten years. Shouldn't they be used to moving around a bit?" offered Boushin.

"Not at a time like this!" Tasuki barked back. "There's no way they wouldn't have been able t' tell we'd be coming! What'd they do, get too giddy about everything an' go take Chichiri's cloak out for a spin?"

"What do you mean?"

"You might be right, Tasuki. They might be looking for us instead."

"No. Chichiri wouldn't have any trouble with that, even bein' this rusty."

"What are you talking about?"

"Chichiri's powers, what else?" yelled Tasuki, before Chiriko could stop him.

Boushin's eyes were wide. "His powers? Aren't they sealed?"

Tasuki stared back at him, then shifted his glance over to Chiriko. "Haven't ya been telling him _anything _over the past few days…?"

"I've told him plenty!"

"The last I heard was that Tatara died, but I've heard nothing of Chichiri having his powers," the boy took a firm tone. "I believe you need to continue telling me things right away."

"Tasuki has already told you what happened after that," Chiriko answered, rubbing his temple. "And immediately after Seiryuu was summoned that night, we returned to Konan by way of Chichiri's magic cloak. Then there was the war, and I didn't want to get into that until things calm down…"

"Then he just had a magic cloak? There's nothing to say about his other powers?"

"There's plenty to say about his powers, because they're back!" Tasuki raised his voice. "Sheesh, Chiriko, quit beatin' around it. Suzaku must have been unsealed, because we all have our powers back."

"What?" his mouth dropped, and then he immediately turned his attention back to his counselor. "How long has this been true? Why didn't you say anything? Don't you think that would have been important for me to know?"

"No, it's not," he argued back. "I knew that you were going to get carried away with false hope, and I was trying to protect you."

"What false hope? How could it be impossible now if Suzaku is unsealed? You were finding Miaka so that you could hurry and summon Suzaku, right? You have to!"

"We can't!"

"Why not? Just tell me why not!"

"Because that night we returned to Konan, Miaka slept with Tamahome!"

The argument stopped for a moment, as Boushin wasn't sure what to say. "But… how is that…?"

He carried on more calmly, "Do you recall when you I told how the Seiryuu warriors tried to fool her into her giving herself over to them?"

"…Yes. You used a word I didn't understand… inter…"

"Intercourse. It's not something to explain right now, but it means that Miaka willingly gave her purity to Tamahome, thereby making it impossible for her to summon Suzaku, no matter what the circumstance."

Boushin still wasn't entirely sure what to make it, but didn't bother getting caught up in the details. "Is that what she meant by being Tamahome's wife? But… why did she…? Didn't she know what she'd be doing? That she'd never be able to summon Suzaku?"

"Hmph. She might have wanted it that way," Tasuki rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"How _dare_ she? After everything everyone had already been though… no matter how much Konan needed Suzaku! Even after Nuriko gave up his life, and… and Mitsukake, and Tamahome, and my father all died after that because they didn't have Suzaku to help them fight… how could she!?"

"Boushin," Chiriko's tone sank as he frowned back at him. "I was very angry when I found out, too. I couldn't believe that she'd be so quick to lose hope. What she did may have been wrong, but I blamed her for things she didn't deserve to be blamed for. We already had no way of summoning Suzaku by then, and the war was overwhelming to everyone. There's was no way Miaka could have stopped it even if she had chosen to remain pure."

"…You're just covering for her," replied Boushin, frowning tightly, trying to hold back tears.

"It was everyone else's strength that eventually ended the war. Miaka had even less hope once Tamahome died, but she still had enough hope to think that her death might be enough for the fighting to end. However, that was fruitless. Nakago knew that she couldn't do anything anymore, and it didn't matter if she was alive or not."

"Except that it _did _matter," Tasuki joined in. "After the Priestess of Seiryuu saw Nakago attack her and she thought she died, that was enough t' make her abandon Nakago and go back t' her own world. That took Seiryuu away from 'im, too."

"It did make that difference," nodded Chiriko. "But the fighting still went on. Miaka had asked him not to let it go on, and Hotohori… your father went out into battle to face Nakago directly. He didn't face him as a Suzaku warrior, but as the emperor… no. As a man who took pride in his country. Though Hotohori was killed, it was only after that encounter that Nakago withdrew his troops and was willing to engage in a peace treaty. I believe that Hotohori's conviction was what defeated Nakago, and scared him more than Suzaku ever could."

The young emperor hung his head to his hide his face as he struggled not to cry, but whimpers escaped his throat. His knees gave out just as quickly as his pride, and he sank, hiding his eyes behind his forearm as he cried and gasped quietly in frustration. The warriors stood and watched with deep frowns, not having the willpower to comfort him. They had had years to process everything that had happened, but it still made their spirits sink.

When their powers returned they both could not help but feel a glimmer of hope, but bringing the matter up again served as a reminder that their hope was unfounded. Though the pain of being unable to summon the beast god lingered, it served as another reminder: Above all else, they were to fight for the good of Konan, even without the strength of Suzaku.

What Konan was in need of since the war was a person to rally behind. That person was not a priestess, but an emperor. At last, Chiriko stepped over to Boushin and knelt down before him. "I wanted to protect you from this pain, Your Highness. I didn't want to have you carry this. My only hope is that it will make you stronger."

* * *

Yui was surprised at herself for feeling a twinge of excitement when she recognized the landscape of Sairou and the cityscape of the capital bellowed the cliffs. This was where she had summoned Seiryuu, off in an unrelated desert land.

Suboshi had finally lost the smile he had been wearing for the past couple days, and she noticed. "What's the matter? Are you having trouble finding him?"

"No, now that we're this close, I can't mistake his presence at all. I'm just nervous. He hasn't seen me in so long, and… he shouldn't even remember having seen me at all."

"It'll be interesting then, won't it? We'll have so much to explain…"

"I… I had hoped he'd never have to know about it again… I forced him to drink that forgetfulness juice so that he wouldn't have to leave the peaceful life he found."

"I see."

"He… he'd still care about me if he remembered me, though, I'm sure," he forced a smile back on, but his nervous tone made it sound like he was trying too hard to sound convincing—not that Yui was the one who needed it. "After all, he asked me to drink it and join him, too."

"Why didn't you? Didn't you know how much you were going to miss him?"

"There was no way I could leave _you_, Lady Yui."

His stare made her freeze with simultaneous guilt and fear. Suboshi had likely spent this entire time obsessing over her, and he was still unpredictable. "Yes, well, and then I went and left you, so it looks like that didn't work out very well," she replied, trying to move on without affirming him much for his feelings. "But we're here now, and you need to decide the best way to speak to him again. We could make up a story to cover things up, or you could pretend you don't know him either…"

"No," he shook his head. "I'll tell him the truth. I wouldn't be able to fool him…"

"Let's wait and see what his situation is, first."

Suboshi found the house with ease, though he had never actually been so far into the village after ensuring that Amiboshi's adoptive parents would find his unconscious body. All the neighbors were inside for the night, so there was no one to grow suspicious of two strangers standing outside the door. Suboshi took a deep breath and knocked.

A woman with fair skin and dark hair carefully opened the door and peeked out the visitors. She started to ask who they were, but gasped when she saw Suboshi's face. So as not to alert anyone prematurely, she stepped out and silently closed the door behind her. "…You're here for Kaika, aren't you?"

"Yes, I think that's his name now."

"Did you know him as _Amiboshi_?" she asked. Yui and Suboshi shot each other quick glances. The woman noticed their surprise, and went on. "My husband doesn't remember anything about it, but we are aware that he is a celestial warrior."

"Oh! Then you must be his wife," Suboshi looked embarrassed. "Um… thank you for taking care of my brother all this time."

"I could tell you were related."

"…He's my twin."

"I'm not terribly surprised. Would you mind telling me what you're here for?"

"I was hoping that he could hide the priestess here…"

"Priestess?" her eyes grew wider, and she switched her focus over to Yui, staring her up and down. "The Priestess of Seiryuu?"

"You have every reason to be suspicious, what with us showing up here out of nowhere," said Yui. "It's still a secret that I've returned, so I don't want to go to Kutou for the time being."

"Didn't you already summon Seiryuu?"

"I did… we're not sure yet what is going on. I understand if you'd prefer we don't bother him."

"Wait here. I can't leave you stranded, so I'll arrange something," she turned, sighed, and continued in a low voice. "It's very surprising to see you face to face like this. Have you had any contact with any of the other warriors?"

"None at all. Only Suboshi knows I'm here."

"I see. That's good." She disappeared back inside, and returned a few minutes later wearing a decorative cloak and carrying one for Yui. "Put this on. You'll stick out too much like that."

"Oh, thank you. I haven't even run into anyone else yet, so I hadn't thought of it…"

"Kaika is already asleep," she whispered. "I'll take you to my old home in the capital for tonight."


	12. Twins

**Authoring Fangirling: **Plot plot plot plot plot plot plot! I'm running out of things to say in this space as the chapters are getting more dense. Please remember to leave a review, thanks! -Appa

* * *

They had decided to wait at Miaka and Chichiri's little house overnight to see if they would came back. There was still no sign of them, and they were left to assume that they had gone somewhere with some unknown purpose. Boushin didn't mind—he didn't feel like seeing Miaka at the moment anyway.

What he did mind was that Chiriko had decided they'd go straight back to the palace to drop Boushin off and _then_ go look for Miaka. Apparently, Suzaku warrior business was too important to let the emperor be involved. It seemed he wasn't even important enough to be involved in their conversation when they were back on the road early the following day.

"Maybe they were already traveling somewhere when they found out."

"Yeah, but where would they 've gone, and how far if they're not back by now? Did they go visit our old friends in Kutou or somethin'?"

"Or they could have gone to Mt. Taikyoku!"

"Oh sure, because they'd really wanna see Taiitsukun."

"Under the circumstances, yes! Kutou isn't entirely out of the question either. The stars in the east are also—"

Chiriko had stopped abruptly, and Tasuki stared at him. "…Did'ja forget where you were goin' with this?"

"He _is _here."

"Who—"

Tasuki didn't have time to finish before Chiriko dismounted and armed himself with his scroll, looking around carefully, and as soon as so much as a shadow of a demon approached, he was already looking past it for the real enemy. The silhouette of a man sitting in the air appeared, holding an unusual spindle and laughing. The scholar's face crinkled into a snarl. "Miboshi."

The bandit snapped into action at the sound of the name, and barked at order at Boushin to get down and stay alert. Though the boy was aware that they were about to enter battle with a Seiryuu warrior, his mind was strangely clear as he armed himself and eyed the additional demon approaching them.

Miboshi had had enough time to plan exactly what he was going to say when the moment was right to approach the only person who had beaten him—however temporary that had been. "Still holding a personal grudge against me? How adorable. I'm glad to see it wasn't one-sided."

"You _did _manage to get free."

A hearty laugh. "I wasn't even captive for a _day_, child. I was impressed, though—you can bet I won't be making any mistakes like that again."

"I won't let you off either."

Another laugh. "And _how_?" he asked with a cocky smile, his nose in the air. "Have you been planning how to reach into another body and strangle me? Ha! Even if the previous owner of this body perished long ago, you wouldn't dare."

"I sure would!" shouted Tasuki as he lifted the tessen. "Rekka—"

"Tasuki, don't! Just protect Bou—" Chiriko shouted back until he was choked by a demon's appendage; he dropped the scroll and reached both hands to his neck as he tried to get air. The other demon rushed at Boushin, but he was just in time to lop off its arm before it could reach him with its claws. Tasuki spun around and fried the rest of it, and then wasted no time turning back to the source of the demons. The way Tasuki's mind worked, it was always best to act quickly when the moment called for it, and getting rid of Miboshi would be the quickest way to end the battle. Neither Chiriko nor Boushin could react faster than his reflexes, and Miboshi didn't even seem to care as the head of the body he occupied burned.

The demons fell to pieces and the lifeless body the attacker had occupied slammed to the ground. Chiriko sank to his knees as he took in a gasp of air. Boushin had been keeping enough mental track of everything he had been told so as to know the danger was not over yet. Still holding the sword tightly, he did the first thing he could think of—hold his ears and clench his eyes shut, mentally shouting, _Don't take me! Don't take me! I won't let you! My will is strong! Go away! Go away! Don't take me!_

Chiriko had the same worry, and as soon as his body allowed him to, he sprang over to Boushin's side and put his hands over Boushin's around his ears, as if doing that could protect him. They stayed that way a few more moments, until Chiriko removed his hands, and Boushin could only assume that they were safe. He looked over to his chaperone for reassurance. His hair had fallen over his downcast face, so Boushin couldn't read his expression.

"Well… it's safe now," Tasuki finally said to break the silence.

"Why did you kill him?" Chiriko shot back at him with a sharp, angry tone. "Did you think that would be the end of it?"

"Did ya want me t' just let ya' turn blue over there or somethin'? I did what I had to!"

"That might have been just want he wanted! It's an easy matter for him to toy with us and find another host. That's what he's been doing this entire time, Tasuki! This entire time!"

"Sorry, I…"

"This entire time..." he sank down and pressed his hand to his forehead, temple to temple. "Who is he going to attack next? Someone else is going to lose their life to him now. He's only going to come back in more sheep's skin. This entire time… I should have just… ahh…"

Tasuki had nothing else to say as Chiriko grit his teeth and began to cry hot tears.

The scene made Boushin highly uncomfortable. Maybe there was some other way to get rid of Miboshi, he pondered, like the strange spindle he left behind. He glanced over at the body, but the spindle had disappeared, as if following the master off to the next host.

* * *

Yui had Suboshi had spent the night in a large, vacant mansion. There was a ghostly sense that they shouldn't be there, but Kaika's wife had assured them it was fine to help themselves and stay there until she had a chance to prepare her husband. When she brought him the next morning it didn't take long for he and Suboshi to lock eyes, both sharing the same startled stare. Even their roughly-shaven chins seemed to mirror each other.

The moment was long enough for the others to observe with interest the resemblance and the reunion. At last, Suboshi spoke. "You don't remember me, but I'm your…"

"My twin brother," Kaika's face melted into a smile. "Xi Fang explained it to me already. I got over my shock about ten minutes ago."

"Oh. That's… that's good, then."

"…How… how's your life been?"

"I've got my complaints, but... And you? Are you happy…?"

"Probably the happiest I've ever been in my life, though I can't really say for sure," he laughed. "You must have heard about my amnesia."

"Yes… it was the juice."

"That's the most likely culprit around here."

"Yeah, that's right."

"Right."

"Yeah."

They both looked to the floor wondering what to say next, and Xi Fang took that opportunity to introduce Yui. "This is the Priestess of Seiryuu, who we'll be taking care of."

"Nice to meet you!" he smiled to her. "Though it sounds like you already know me. I'm so ashamed, really! I've known for a long time that I was a Seiryuu warrior, but I'm such a failure that I can't even remember what my own priestess looked like, haha!"

"Actually, this is our first meeting," Yui smiled back, a little amused to see how meek and normal one of her warriors seemed compared to all the rest. "Though I had a guess what you might look like."

"I suppose so! Ha… ha…" his voice sank. Reunions were always awkward for people with amnesia. "I told my parents that a distant cousin of Xi Fang's would be staying with us. They're excited to meet you. Though… uh…"

"We haven't said anything about you coming," his wife finished for him, turning to Suboshi. "They've always been very defensive about anything from Kaika's past threatening to come back and claim him, and they'd recognize you as a threat right away."

"Oh. Well, are they nice parents? You said they were, the last time I saw you…"

"Yes, they're wonderful! They keep a good eye on the boys, too!"

Suboshi's face lit up. "You have sons?"

Kaika's face lit up enough to match, welling with pride.

* * *

In a lifetime that had already been unnaturally long, Miboshi had only experienced mortal fear once. He certainly did not expect the cause of it to be a mere child. First, he was shocked to have been restrained at all, and then to have been dragged slowly down to death. In a soul worn thin by prolonging its life jumping between bodies, he could feel his very existence shrinking down into nothing.

He dissipated until the child had stopped suffering and forced him in a cage. All of Miboshi's senses were cut off—it was dark and silent there, and there weren't even walls to beat against. He was sure he was screaming in madness, but he couldn't even hear himself. Once he finally saw light again, he realized he had been freed; even so, his condition was already particularly worn down, and he was in no condition for a fight. After drifting in whatever state he could hold together, he found a shell-shocked soldier among a sea of dead bodies, and entered him before there would be any resistance. Dazed and confused, he wondered around in that body on two feet on the ground.

He eventually encountered Nakago, who was returning to Kutou, leading the armies and carrying Soi's corpse. Miboshi was in such a sorry state that he couldn't even stutter out his name when he recognized him, and was only taken back to recover at the Kutou palace because Nakago had recognized his life force.

"I was there for ages," Miboshi recounted to him when he had recovered enough to speak clearly.

"You were released when Suzaku was sealed. You weren't even there an entire day."

"It _had_ to have been longer than that!"

Ten years later, and he clearly could recall the eternity he spent there. He knew he couldn't have been forced in so easily had he not already been dragged so far down to death, but his new body would still shake when he thought of it. At that point he would start shaking more violently with anger that any mere child—no, that any mere _mortal_—could do that much against him.

In comparison, ten years had gone just as fast as any other period in his existence. He had taken time to lay low and recover, and then retrain himself to attain his previous strength. Now that Seiryuu had already been summoned and Nakago had attained control of Kutou, there was not much purpose for him to continue living—except, perhaps, to show that he _would_ continue to live, and that no one could subdue him.

Revealing that he was still alive and showing Chiriko his failure was the most intense pleasure Miboshi had ever experienced. Still, the pleasure could not match the anger and humiliation he harbored. Since he had already been observing, the next step to take was obvious.

* * *

Lonely after Boushin had left, Juan stroked Tama's fur and sighed. Shouka had tried to cheer him up, but there were moments when she wasn't able to distract him. Furthermore, she had chores to do that day and didn't have time to play. _Maybe I should go find some chores to do too_, he thought.

Bored and staring off into space, he didn't notice Tama tense up and hiss.

* * *

Stiff though the "luxurious" bed had been, Mayo felt a bit better when she woke up the next morning, though still not ready to be as active as the athlete she typically was. Perhaps her body was getting used to being under the weight of Suzaku.

When she mentioned this to Houki, the empress carefully chose how she would comment. "I find it very interesting that you've already summoned Suzaku. Perhaps we were wrong, but we always thought the priestess needed to hold a ceremony with her warriors first."

"Suzaku needed to change the rules since his first priestess was a failure. He's a god, what's so strange about that?"

"Then he was able to unseal himself?"

"He called out to me, and I took him back from the Priestess of Seiryuu."

"I see. It strikes me, if you don't mind my saying…"

Mayo shot her a brief glare. "It sounds unbelievable?"

"No, I merely thought your condition reminds me of being with child."

"With child?"

* * *

"Pregnancy!" Keisuke and Tetsuya shouted together as they read the words on the page. Tetsuya turned to Keisuke and asked, "As her teacher, did you have any idea…?"

"No! And look, Sakaki's even defending herself and saying how she has to be a virgin to be the priestess."

"Not that she_ is_ the priestess. But maybe Houki's on to something here with this 'Vessel' thing. Suzaku's been sealed all this time, right? Maybe he needed to build up his strength…"

"Or what if that's the only way he could get back there? He needed a medium of some sort, or something."

"If that's the case, then she's going to have to get to Miaka so she can finally summon him! Miaka better hurry up and find Yui and then figure that out. Miaka said she could sense Suzaku too, didn't she?"

"I-I don't know all this! Just let me keep reading."

* * *

Mayo was incensed. How could Houki dare to suggest she was just some whore, trying to take advantage of the situation and make herself look special? Mayo would show her. "Suzaku, hurry up and come forth," she closed her eyes and commanded, but nothing happened. Frustrated, she decided to look through her bag she had brought to find something to amuse herself. She reached for it, but the bag was suddenly further than she had judged it to be. No matter, she'd simply reach further—

This time she was sure the bag had moved, as she fell out of the bed reaching after it. Angrily, she reached again, but instead of scooting away, the bag floated up into the air. She gasped, then glared at it as she jumped for it a few times, but each time it moved away from her. With a grunting sigh through her nose, she gave up and lied down to take a nap, and the bag floated back down and settled on the floor.

* * *

Over the course of the day, Yui and Suboshi had openly discussed the situation with Kaika and Xi Fang. She wasn't aware of it, but Suboshi was beginning to think it was his fault for letting his desires get the best of him and summon her back into potential danger. As soon as the thought hit him clearly, it started to weigh on his mind. If he had sensed that Yui would return, then Nakago was even more likely to have picked up on something. _But he didn't have her bow. She closed herself off to him. She was only open to me_, he reassured himself.

As much as he didn't want to leave, he was an adult now, and had a better idea how to take responsibility. Perhaps having to leave Yui's side and protect her from afar was his punishment for summoning her. He waited and watched when the couple brought Yui into their home to introduce her to their family, and then he waited for it to get dark and for someone to come for him. He was patient—he spent most of his time alone anyway, so it wasn't particularly difficult.

At last, Kaika came out and silently motioned for him to follow. His parents had already gone to bed, as had his sons. They silently crept in through a large window, and then Kaika held up a candle for Suboshi to see the sleeping boys' faces.

Suboshi felt excitement rush to his cheeks and smile hit his face. "They're twins!"

Kaika nodded with a smile. "It's supposed to be a sign of good luck."

"That's right." They shared a smile, but it quickly faded. One could guess that the other knew how that might not have been the case. Suboshi continued, "How old are they?"

"Five. They're a handful, and egg each other on. Their names are Kouei and Shuuei."

"Do they play the flute too?"

"Oh, you knew," he blinked, then decided it probably wasn't that strange. "They're learning, but they're not very good yet."

"I'd love to hear them," he smiled down to his nephews, brimming with wishful thinking about how wonderful their lives should be.

"Do you play, too?"

"You taught me some."

"I see."

"You were usually the stronger one."

"I'm sorry."

There was a pause.

"It's not your fault. I wanted you to escape. I'm sorry I came back, but I'll make sure nothing else comes here to haunt you."

Kaika reached out and touched his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look. "It's alright. Once it was clear that I had been a warrior in the past, I always knew my destiny would come back for me. There was no way a little juice could stand in the way of that."

Suboshi stared back, surprised and relieved to hear him take everything in stride. However, if even his amnesic brother had premonitions about this, it could only fill him with a sense of dread. The worst he could imagine was his small nephews having to suffer like they had. "I just want you all not be bothered by anything anymore."

"It sounds like you're the strong one now."

They slipped out just as quietly as they came in, but Yui went out the front door to see them off. "You're leaving now, Suboshi?" she whispered.

"Yes. Nakago only expected me to be gone a short time. I need to get back and keep him from getting suspicious about anything."

"Thank you for your help. I'll figure out what I should do now."

"You should stay here. Kaika will take care of you."

"I'm sure I'm here to do something."

"Just wait for me," he stepped forward and embraced her, the first time he had done so since she had returned. Yui was too surprised to resist or embrace him back. "I'll come back," he pulled away and assured her, holding her hand as he stepped back, only releasing it as he darted off into the darkness.

Kaika grinned. "He really cares about you."

"Yes, he does," she frowned.


	13. Vessels

**Author Fangirling: **Bwahaha. Evil is as evil does; our poor rusty warriors will have to deal with Miboshi yet. And they'll have to deal with Mayo now, too. Could fate be any more cruel?

As easy as Mayo is to hate on, she really is fun to write once you can embrace her as a character instead of just an annoying plot device created for the sake of expanding the already very stretched out FY canon. I hope to redeem her a bit later, but she's got a deeper hole to dig first. That's the only way some people learn.

Thanks for reading, and all reviews are lovingly read and reread!-Appa

* * *

The silence didn't seem to bother anyone as Boushin, Chiriko and Tasuki traveled back to the capital. Their horses clopped along for hours without anyone saying a word, and though Boushin was hungry, he kept his mouth shut. Seeing how late it had already gotten, it seemed they intended to travel throughout the night to reach the palace. Boushin got carried up in a daydream about surprising everyone by finding a way to summon Suzaku, and didn't notice himself start to nod off.

As he began sliding to one side, he caught himself and snapped back awake. Looking around to see if anyone noticed, he spotted a familiar face among the trees. "Juan?"

A single word stood out very well amidst hours of silence, and Chiriko and Tasuki both stopped. "What'd ya just say?"

"Nothing," he turned back. "I just thought I saw Juan over there. My mind is playing tricks on me."

"Yeah, it won't even take another hour to get back into the capital, so there's no way he could'a beaten us here."

"Right," he smiled and thought they'd keep going, but Chiriko's horse was still stopped. He had his lips pursed, staring in the direction Boushin had indicated. Before the boy could ask what was wrong, his counselor had charged off. Boushin and Tasuki, both startled, pointed their horses in that direction and followed.

Chiriko continued forward. It wouldn't surprise him at all if Miboshi had sought out Juan and followed them. For a being with such a vendetta, it had likely been his plan all along! When he heard laughter from right behind him, he reared on his horse, and there was Juan's form, floating in the air, holding the spindle much like the one Chiriko had once stabbed himself with. The scholar could do nothing but glower back at him.

"That's it?" he cocked his head back with a smile, and then pulled on his new cheek. "I thought you'd give me more of a reaction than that."

He said nothing, analyzing the situation as best he could. Unfortunately, his character had already disappeared immediately following that morning's battle, and even after ten years of mulling over it, he still didn't have a new approach to contain him. For lack of a better resource, he moved his hand for his scroll.

"That again?" Miboshi's grin changed to a glare. "You won't contain me with that again. Not now that I can see it coming."

"Why have you come back now?" he ignored that comment to buy himself time to think. "You could have come to haunt me anytime you wanted."

"We both know that things are moving now," he leaned in close to tease him, close enough to breathe on each other. "I've only come to keep an eye on you for now, since we both know you won't be touching me."

"I'm sure you won't be extending the same courtesy."

He laughed. "You haven't even made a move. Maybe I'll let you go first. See if you can surprise me," he flashed him one more grin before he disappeared. "Not that my patience will last long."

Left in silence, Chiriko was soon joined by his companions.

"Where'd you go?" the other warrior asked. "That was just a little outta nowhere, don't ya think?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Let's hurry and head back."

"Well… yeah. It's been a long day. How about you, Boushin? Ready to see home again?" he glanced over and saw the boy nodding off again.

By the time they reached the palace very late that night, Boushin's horse was tied behind Tasuki's, and the emperor was asleep on Tasuki's lap. The guards, although excited to see Tasuki again and have Boushin home safely, whispered greetings as they brought him inside to bed. Houki was alerted that they had returned, and she quickly put on a robe to go meet them in the hall, first examining her son's sleeping face and and stroking it gently before whispering excitedly to the warriors.

"Tasuki, it's been so long!"

"Heh heh, I'm surprised you still recognize me."

"You should have come to visit, you would be welcome! Will Chichiri be coming too?"

"Not yet, but hopefully soon."

"I have news for you," she beamed. "Suzaku may have been unsealed."

"Yes, we're aware," answered Chiriko.

"That's good," she smiled. "Then this girl from another world really might be the Priestess of Suzaku after all."

* * *

"The next morning, the Vessel of Suzaku awoke and thought she saw a face looking down at her, but as it disappeared, she surmised that she was merely coming out of a dream she could not remember."

"Sakaki, Sakaki, Sakaki… cut back over to Miaka already! This girl's not even doing anything! Doesn't this book know anything about plot? And, you know, _moving it_?"

"Geez, Tetsuya, you haven't taken your chill pill today."

"My girlfriend was stalked down by a crazy high school girl and sucked into a book that's already scarred her for life. What is there to be chill about?"

"Good point. It's not that we really want things to progress too fast, though, right?"

"I'm sure they're progressing. Who knows how much could have already happened elsewhere in this time?" he said, though what he really meant was, "Who knows what's happening to Yui?"

* * *

The poor priestess in question was being terrorized by five-year-olds. Kouei and Shuuei had taken an instant liking their "distant cousin," and had been showing her around the entire village. She had borrowed some clothes from Xi Fang, and Kaika's mother had bound her hair according to local customs. When Yui saw herself, she thought that even if someone from Kutou came looking for her, they might not even recognize her. An instant later, she noticed her reflection was smiling—maybe that was part of why she wouldn't be recognizable.

Her smile only kept getting wider throughout the day as the boys played tag with her and she taught them games that she used to play as a child. She hadn't relaxed and laughed quite so much since she had been playing those games with Miaka back in grade school. Closer to lunchtime, the twins raised their voices and shoved each other around, arguing over who would sit next to Yui. "I have two sides you can sit on, sillies," she giggled.

"I wonder if Kaika was like that when he was younger," their mother sighed after scooting them out the door, a bit worn out by their energy. Thinking the better of it an instant later, she looked to see if her mother-in-law was listening, but it didn't seem she was as she was.

You could not help but feel that the question was directed at her. "I never saw him and his brother together, so I never… I mean…"

"Please, you don't need to worry about having a past with him. We both know we had pasts with other people before we met each other."

"I see."

"Yes. Kaika doesn't remember her, but that dress you're wearing belonged to a girl he met here some time ago. His parents still remember her."

"Oh, is it? I thought it was yours."

"When I first met them, they made a lot of comments about the resemblance," she seemed embarrassed.

"Then you had someone before too?"

"In a way. My parents asked me to care for someone for them. Come to think of it, he was a celestial warrior as well. A Suzaku warrior."

"That's right. They had come to Sairou some time ago."

"Tamahome. Perhaps you knew him?"

"Tamahome! That… oh…" she seemed to laugh at herself, something that would have been hard to imagine doing before. "You could say he was my first love."

"What? You're the Priestess of Seiryuu, and you were in love with a Suzaku warrior?"

"Yes, but I can't say it lasted very long…"

"Ah. Because you have Suboshi now, right?" replied Xi Fang. Yui didn't answer right away, and Xi Fang read the air. "I'm sorry! I thought for sure…"

"No, I can't blame you for thinking that," she shook her head. "Actually, I'm dating someone in my own world right now. And I left him hanging at the restaurant on the corner! I'm sure he's already looking for me, if I haven't given him a heart attack already."

"Oh dear."

"He's very understanding about my past, too. He knows all about Tamahome, and Suboshi, and the other Seiryuu warriors, and… and Miaka," she sighed. At last, the smile faded.

"Lunch!" Kaika's mother cut in between them to carry a steaming pot to the table. "You'll have to forgive my simple fare for this afternoon, but Xi Fang will cook us dinner tonight! You're in for a treat."

* * *

Mayo was fully awake by the time a servant came to serve her breakfast. "Is it to your liking, Lady Mayo?"

"It's fine. I'm not that nauseated at the moment," she said without looking in the servant's direction as she sipped her tea. She reached for a spoon to start eating her rice porridge, but it slid away from her. After all the previous incidents, she was not surprised and slammed her hand down on it before it could get away again, startling the servant.

"I'm pleased to hear that you're feeling a bit better today. When you are ready, there are two Suzaku warriors here to meet you."

"Finally," she rolled her eyes, and then heard all of her dishes clatter as the table shot a foot away from her.

Immediately after breakfast, Mayo was dressed in fine clothes, and prepared to go out and meet the warriors in the throne room. Houki was already there, and the officials were present and watching. Tasuki and Chiriko stood at one end of the room attentively, and noticed immediately the change in the atmosphere once she entered.

"You must be my celestial warriors," she said in a collected tone. "I am Mayo Sakaki, the new Priestess of Suzaku."

"So we've heard," Chiriko replied politely. Tasuki only gave her a calculating stare, which made Mayo a bit embarrassed. "I am Chiriko, and this is Tasuki."

"Ah, I see. As your priestess, might I ask to see your marks?"

They stood without acting for a moment, until Chiriko elbowed Tasuki, who rolled his eyes and pulled his sleeve down to reveal the red character on his arm. "Psst. Aren't ya gonna join me?" he whispered back, though loudly enough that everyone could hear.

"It's already gone again."

"Ha! That figures."

"While we're aware that Suzaku has been unsealed after all these years, I hope you'll understand that we're a bit apprehensive," Chiriko continued diplomatically. "Might as I ask how you are sure that you are the Priestess of Suzaku?"

"Do you mean to tell me you don't feel his presence within me?"

They would be lying if they said they didn't. "Suzaku certainly is present. I am simply very curious as to how you summoned him all on your own."

"It doesn't matter once I've already summoned him, right?"

Before Chiriko could respond, they heard a boy yelling from the hall. An instant later, Boushin strutted into the throne room in his night robe, and did not even bother reaching his throne before he confronted everyone present. "Did you mean to hide this matter from me?"

"Your Highness, we simply wanted you to have a chance to rest after your journey. But it is wonderful to see you—"

"A new Priestess of Suzaku is an important enough matter that I would have liked to have been woken up."

"Bou… Your Highness," Chiriko gave him an awkward look, pleading for him to stand down. "We can't be sure yet that she's…"

"She's a girl from another world, and Suzaku's presence is with her. How can she not be the priestess?"

"Are you forgetting, you know," hinted Tasuki, "that we already _have_ one?"

"The previous Priestess of Suzaku is no longer someone we can depend on," he tossed their words back at them, before turning to Mayo. "Please forgive everyone's rudeness, Lady Priestess. I welcome you to Konan and implore your help in saving it."

She smiled. "With pleasure, Your Highness."

"'Your Highness," his young counselor said in a slow and sharp tone, wondering if telling him everything was a good idea after all.

"Do you mean to say that you do not acknowledge her?"

"I believe it's _premature_ to say anything at this moment about Lady Mayo's role."

"I don't believe it matters whether they believe me or not, Your Highness," she said. "We already have Suzaku here. It seems he just needs more time to recover before I can make wishes."

"If they won't be your warriors, and if we can have a new priestess, then you should be able to have new warriors as well," the boy declared. "I'll protect you as one of your warriors."

"Your Highness!" Chiriko began to lose patience. "This isn't something you can decide on your own!"

"Frankly, the previous priestess and her generation of warriors failed. We have been given a second chance, and fate has been entrusted to new hands. Perhaps it is for this purpose that we met Juan, and we might meet others."

"I insist that you and I take some time to discuss this in private."

"Emperor or not, you're still just a kid and ya don't know what you're talkin' about," the other warrior finished less delicately for him. "Hold your damn horses and let's figure this out. We need to find Chichiri and get him in on this too."

"I know exactly what you mean by _that. _I don't see why Lady Mayo can't be involved in the discussion."

"My son," Houki finally found a chance to interject. "I believe you should listen to their counsel on this. Their experience exceeds yours."

"Mother," he turned to her. "You've spent the last few days at Lady Mayo's side. Do you find her untrustworthy?"

"No, I would not be able to say that."

"Chiriko, Tasuki," he turned to them. "Do you not feel Suzaku's presence within her?" They looked away, unable to refute, and Boushin felt he had proved his point. "If there is something to discuss, I insist that Lady Mayo and I both be involved."

Chiriko didn't want to waste any more breath arguing, and insisted that they speak right away. As the four of them left the room, Houki also stood and left with her attendants, leaving the counselors to themselves. They felt they should have been ashamed of his behavior, but couldn't help but smile to each other.

"I was wondering when he'd do something like that," Counselor Chou smiled.

"In his bed clothes, no less," Counselor Shu looked like he would cry (for whatever reason).

"I'm proud, but," the other trailed off. "I'm afraid this won't turn out like he hopes it will."

"And we certainly can't have him going off into battle! Not like…"

"That wasn't for Suzaku."

Mayo was relieved and excited to finally see some progression. Perhaps with the warriors present, Suzaku would start listening to her, or perhaps she'd finally have the experience the failed priestess had spoiled. "So you're Tasuki?" she took a seat next to him. "I understand you're a bandit."

"I am. What's it to ya?"

"It sounds exciting."

"Wouldn't take it any other way."

"You wouldn't want to go to my world, then," she sighed. "Everything is so systematic. Not like this world."

"You've only been here three days and haven't left the palace, an' you already know all this? How much did you an' Her Highness talk?"

"Suzaku told me."

"Sounds like you found out everything faster than I did," said Boushin with a sideways glance towards Chiriko.

The counselor didn't pay that any mind. "We were attacked by Miboshi yesterday," he said. "This situation is more dangerous for Lady Mayo than it looks."

"Miboshi?" her eyes grew wide. "Isn't that one of the Seiryuu warriors?"

"Yes. There hadn't been any sight of him for ten years until yesterday."

"But he still needs to find another body," Boushin offered. "So we might have lost him."

Chiriko frowned with a downcast glance. "He's taken Juan."

Boushin and Tasuki both stood up in surprise. "He couldn't have! Not Mitsukake!" Tasuki raised his voice. "That couldn't… no!"

"He had been following us before he attacked us," he clenched his robe as he continued. "I believe that's what he planned to do from the start."

"Then I really did see him last night," Boushin said slowly. "Was it… was it really Juan…?" Although shocked, he didn't feel upset yet—it didn't seem real.

"Damn it," Tasuki banged a fist on the table and looked away. Mayo was startled, but didn't want to ask anything while she was still piecing together the situation.

Chiriko kept looking at the floor, but continued speaking calmly. "I believe he'll continue to watch us here since he knows it will be difficult to fight, so we shouldn't act with too much haste. If he does act, I don't feel confident that I can do much. My character has already faded away again. I'd feel much better if Chichiri could be here, too."

"I got it," replied Tasuki, thoroughly annoyed with all the new developments. When he had daydreamed over the years about his powers returning, he had assumed it would come with some final battle, but he was never inclined to anticipate new frustrations. "I'll go out an' track 'im down the old fashioned way. You should stay here an' keep an eye on these two."

"Are you mad at me, Tasuki?" asked Boushin meekly.

"Ya think I wouldn't be, after ya went an' said all that?" he growled back, immediately thinking the better of it seeing the color drain from Boushin's face in shame. "I'm more angry about everything else goin' on. It's got nothin' t' do with you, so you don't need to feel like it's your fault."

"Alright."

"When will you come back? You just got here," asked Mayo.

"I'll get back after I find Chichiri."

"Will I be safe here with just these two? After all, Miboshi might be after me."

"There's nobody safer to be with than Chiriko," he assured her without facing her as he stood to leave.

"I'll see you off," Chiriko followed him out.

Mayo folded her arms, irritated to see how her long-awaited meeting with the Suzaku warriors had been cut short. "Did you hear that? They just said this has nothing to do with you," she said to Boushin, trying to incite him to stay on her side. He did not respond, and when she looked over to him, she saw him grimacing back tears and a wail in his throat. Juan's situation had finally hit him with full force.


	14. Best Friends

Miaka and Chichiri had been traveling straight to Sairou, and Chichiri couldn't help but comment on how good Miaka's stamina was. "It's like the good old days, I guess! Haha!"

"If that's what you want to call it, you know."

"Yui's close," she said, then paused, and moved her head around slowly.

"What is it? Do you sense her?"

She put a hand up in the air to quiet him. "I recognize this. It's…" Much to Chichiri's surprise, she started to sniff the air, and then melted into a happy face. "It's Sairou cuisine!"

Chichiri could have fallen off his horse. "I shouldn't be surprised, you know."

"Wait," she looked more carefully. "I _do _recognize this place. This village… I've been here!"

"You have?"

"It's Amiboshi's village! Remember how I told you that he was alive?"

"That's right! I saw him too, just as Suboshi ran away with him. I wonder if he'd recognize us?"

"He had to drink that juice and forget everything, remember? I wonder if Yui would be with him!"

"That sounds like a good enough reason for her to be in Sairou!" he answered her. "Quick! Do you remember which house was his?"

"There," she pointed definitively.

"That was fast, you know."

"That's where the familiar smell is coming from, and I'm pretty sure it's Amiboshi's house, too. Or Kaika, I should say. Don't worry, his folks are pretty nice. I'm sure they'd invite us in for dinner."

"I'm happy to see that's where your priorities lie."

"I'm kidding, Chichiri. Half," she answered and dismounted her horse, and approached the door with her warrior right behind her. With a deep breath, she knocked.

Xi Fang answered cautiously, wondering who else could have shown up. "Yes?"

"Hello! Sorry to bother you during your dinner. I'm looking for a girl named Yui."

"Miaka!" she exclaimed.

"Ah… Xi Fang, is that you?"

"Where have you been all this time? We had no idea what happened to you!" she moved forward to take her hands.

Miaka moved held hers just as tightly, forgetting any animosity they might have had between each other in the past. "It _is _you! No wonder it smelled so good!"

It didn't take long for others to notice the commotion at the front door, including Yui. "Miaka?"

The priestesses instantly fixed their eyes on one another, and the others at the table fumbled to get out of Yui's way as she, aghast, edged from the table and to the door. Once they stood face to face, Miaka melted into a smile. "Yui."

"You were alive?"

She nodded.

Yui began to cry, and slapped her. "How could you have let me believe you died?" she screamed. "Nothing hurt me more than that! I missed you so much. I missed you so much, Miaka! How could you have done that to me?"

"I'm sorry, Yui. I _had_ to…" Miaka felt like she would cry too. "I thought that was the only way I could end everything. I did it for you."

Yui was full of a rush of different emotions, and switched to acting on others. "You dummy. Only _you_ could think doing something like that would help anything. But you did, and I _did _go back after that… you… it's been ten years for you, hasn't it?" she reached out and touched Miaka's cheek. "Look at you…"

"I know," she smiled sheepishly. "I'm so old."

"No," she shook her head as another rush of tears came on. "You're beautiful. Look at you, all grown up."

"Oh, Yui," she placed her hand over hers. "You grew up too. How old are you now? You're amazing."

"I'm only nineteen," Yui wanted to laugh at the absurdity of how much their lives had diverged, and finally moved forward to embrace her tightly. She had not expected Miaka to wince in pain when she held her, and moved back a bit. "…Miaka?"

"Gently, okay?" she smiled back weakly, but then rested against her with a calm and content look on her face.

* * *

"…The Priestesses joined the others at the table to finish the meal, and chatted on about old acquaintances. The kind old couple was sure they had met the Priestess of Suzaku before, but was not aware of her identity.' …Tetsuya?"

"I'm fine. Keep reading," he wiped a tear away from underneath his sunglasses.

"Are you happy now?"

"Relieved."

"You're an easy book to read," he smiled, and turned back to find his place. "Still, it looks like everyone else in the Universe of the Four Gods thought she was dead, too. I wonder if Yui would have come back when she did before if she knew Miaka was alright?"

"I don't know," Tetsuya shrugged. "She watched Nakago attack her, and that was enough. But if she knew Miaka was alive somewhere, that might have been enough to keep her there."

"We didn't keep reading much after we got Yui back, did we? We saw that Hotohori died and that the Kutou troops went home, but that was about it. If we had kept reading, maybe we would have gotten Miaka back, too…"

"It's too late to think about that now, but we might still have a chance. Keep reading."

* * *

Though the little house was cramped, Miaka and Chichiri were invited to stay a few days. Xi Fang had explained to Kaika who they were, and no one wanted to impede on her reunion with Yui. The twins, however, had turned quiet, suspiciously watching Chichiri the entire time. No one particularly minded the extra quiet, especially while the priestesses had so much to catch up on.

"Miaka, earlier, you… you were in pain."

"It only happens sometimes. It's usually fine if I don't touch it much."

"Do you mean the injury Nakago gave you?"

She nodded, and Yui shivered as the scene flashed back through her mind. "How did you survive that?"

"Barely. Chichiri took me away to hide and recover, but I already told everyone else to pretend I had died so that they wouldn't look for me. I'm much better now, though!"

"And now you're married to Chichiri? Congratulations."

"Well, for the most part, yes," she laughed. "It's just easier to say that, and no one asks us any questions about who we once were. And how about you? You're such a looker, I'm sure you've got boys beating down your door!"

"I'm dating Tetsuya," she smiled, but Miaka gave her a blank look. "You know, Keisuke's friend?"

"Oh, my brother's friend? I don't really know who he is. Are you sure he's not too old for you?"

"He's younger than _you _are, Miaka."

"You got me there."

"He and Keisuke have been my best friends since you've been gone. They read the book while we were both here last time, so they know about everything."

"Oh my. Everything?" she looked embarrassed. "I had some idea that Keisuke was reading, but… wow, how much did it say about my personal life?"

"How much was there to _hide_?"

"Well, I'm sure you know about Tamahome and I…"

"No. What?"

"We… uh… we slept together!"

Yui only looked back plainly as Miaka tried to laugh it off. "No, you didn't."

"Come again?"

"They told me that the book said you both refrained that last night you spent together. Tamahome died the next day. That is, unless he's hiding around here somewhere too."

Miaka's expression sank. "No. He _did _die. That was after we told everyone we were husband and wife after that night."

"Even though nothing happened?"

"Please don't let Chichiri hear you!"

"Why? He's your husband, and he doesn't know?"

"He's never touched me. It's not like that."

"Then you're still a virgin!"

"Yes, I'm an old maid," she looked embarrassed. "And what about you and Tetsuya? You've known him four years now, so I'm sure…"

"No, we haven't crossed that line! He doesn't put much pressure on me."

"Then you, too?"

"Yes," she sat back and blinked as she thought for a moment. "How strange. We just had an embarrassing moment admitting to each other that there's nothing embarrassing to admit. I suppose we're both still fully qualified priestesses with jobs to finish."

"Finish? Didn't you use your last wish to go home?"

"I think Seiryuu took it easy on me—that last wish probably didn't count. I still have one left."

Miaka looked concerned. "Then that means…"

"And you, too! Suzaku's been unsealed! You'll need to hurry up and summon him!"

She began to shake her head unconsciously. "No, I can't! Everyone will start fighting again! I don't want anyone else to get hurt, Yui!"

"That's all the more reason why you have to meet Mayo Sakaki."

* * *

Days had passed.

Chiriko stood at the veranda as sleet rain made a curtain in front of him. "Even this downpour is pleasant," Houki came from behind him. "It must be a sign that Suzaku has graced us with his presence."

"We can at least be sure of that much," he replied.

"Has it been nice having your character back?"

"I'm still waiting for it to reappear."

"Oh, dear," she covered a giggle with her sleeve. "You're not the only warrior who lacks one."

"Boushin," he sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid telling him everything was fodder for his own fantasies."

"It can't be helped that he idolizes his father. He's grown up hearing nothing but good things about him. If that helps inspire him to become a good leader to his country, then I can tolerate these fantasies while's he still a child."

"We can only hope they'll remain fantasy."

"You feel responsible for him, don't you?" she asked. "In His Majesty's stead?"

He smiled, caught. "I don't know if I can phrase it in exactly that way, but I do consider it my mission now to support him."

"I very clearly remember the first time you met him. You were the only one of the Suzaku warriors remaining at the palace at the time, and you barely looked big enough to hold him securely. But you did, and you stared at him and cried for a very long time. It was an emotional moment for me as well, as I knew you and the others would watch over my son."

"That was when I decided I was going to keep studying, even without my character. It took a while, but I'm here now."

"We're grateful. It's good to have one of you here what with these recent happenings. What do you think about Lady Mayo?"

"I think she's important, but I don't think she's right when she says Suzaku's been summoned. I don't think he has. I think… I think he's still building up his strength, preparing to be summoned."

"Hmm. Then perhaps I was right, in some sense."

* * *

Mayo did not take well to Chiriko's suggestion when he and Houki presented it to her. _Me? Pregnant with _Suzaku_?_ "That's even more ridiculous than just being pregnant in the first place," she said aloud.

"I don't think it's so ridiculous," a voice responded.

"Houki?" she looked around, but didn't see her there.

"Take care of yourself," it said again, and this time she was sure she heard it right next to her. With a gasp, she looked over and saw a faint figure. The face there smiled. "Oh, can you see me now? It must be because Suzaku's getting stronger."

"You… who are you?"

"Celestial warrior Nuriko, at your service," the faint figure smiled. "I had to stay and keep an eye on you once I felt Suzaku arrive."

"Then you know I'm the priestess."

"No, you're not," he glared back.

"And you're a ghost," she ignored his comment. "You must have been the one messing with me when no one was looking! Why would you do that?"

"You were being annoying," he rolled his eyes. "I couldn't stand you treating Houki like that. She's very important to me, I'll have you know. Do you know how patient she's been with you? I know your hormones must be going crazy right now, but that's still unacceptable."

"Sorry," she automatically apologized, a bit surprised to be lectured, and perhaps more surprised at herself for listening to it.

"Anyway, make sure you tell her I'm proud of her," he flashed a smile before he started to fade again.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm still here. Suzaku still has to get stronger. Wait for Miaka…"

* * *

With each passing day, Tasuki could feel his own powers getting stronger, and with that, his ability to sense his priestess. _Come on, Miaka. Where are you?_ He'd meditate and focus as best he knew how, and see where it led him. He was confident that he was on her trail, but was becoming more and more doubtful about how aware Miaka was of the situation. At the border to Sairou, he had to wonder what she could have been thinking.

_Seriously, Miaka? Not a great time for a desert vacation._ Nevertheless, he sighed, and set foot into the next country.

Maybe Miaka was running away when she sensed Suzaku, he thought. He was sure he could send Chichiri to the palace right away, but was Mayo worth enough to blow Miaka's cover?

* * *

Mayo was quite sure her mind had not been playing tricks on her when she met Nuriko, though it didn't seem that anyone else was aware of his presence. She decided to keep it a secret, since it wasn't as if anyone was willing to consider her thoughts anyway.

Anyone, that was, except the ten-year-old emperor.

"I wonder if the other warriors are out there," she mused openly, waiting for his response. "Weren't they saying something before about… Mitsukake, was it?"

Boushin only then noticed that he had been absentmindedly fingering the pouch around his neck that Juan had made for him. "Oh, that's Juan. Mitsukake was reborn."

"But didn't they say he was possessed?"

With a deep frown, he nodded back to her. "He's my best friend."

"Best friends, huh?" she gave him a quizzical look. "What do you mean by that?"

"We played together… and talked about being celestial warriors…"

Mayo laughed. "And that makes you best friends. That's a hollow phrase, you know. Friends are just people you pass the time with—they come and go. Any relationship based on feelings isn't going to last forever."

"But if you don't have feelings, what kind of relationship is that?"

"People can have relationships out of necessity or simply because they have to—like how a parent is forced to take care of their child. Even you—you're only here because there needed to be an heir to the throne."

Boushin paused before responding in a low voice. "What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean," she rolled her eyes, "Is that your mother and father weren't together because of a feeling. After all, your father was in love with the last Priestess of Suzaku."

"No, he wasn't!" he automatically retorted.

"I'm sure you'll understand more about it in time. 'Husband' and 'wife' and 'best friend' are just labels. There's not that much to them. Sure, you played together for a while, but what makes him your best friend? Is it just because he was a Suzaku warrior?"

Boushin stood to leave, but still had the decency to answer her before setting foot out of her room. "Juan is my best friend because he's my only friend."

Maybe he meant that, maybe he didn't. Boushin wasn't even sure he had experienced a normal friendship before meeting Juan, so perhaps he was wrong about it in the first place. At least love was something he heard about more often—although not regarding his father and the Priestess of Suzaku. Didn't everyone know that Miaka was in love with Tamahome?

With his mind a blur, Boushin found himself wandering the nighttime halls and drawn towards Chiriko's room when he saw the light was still on. Without much purpose, he knocked, and Chiriko invited him in and asked what was wrong.

"Nothing," he lied. "I can't sleep. What are you working on?"

"I'm trying to find out more about Mayo's role here," he looked back to the stack on books and scrolls on his table, many of which were left open to whatever snippets of information he had found so far. "Not to say that she's _not _a priestess, but just to see if there's something else."

"Hmm," he didn't seem to care either way at the moment. "Could I stay here while you study?"

"Of course."

"Chiriko?"

"Yes?"

"You'll save Juan, right?"

There was a pause.

"I haven't stopped thinking about how."

"I see."

Nothing more was said.


	15. Runaways

"The Empress, unaware of the Vessel's other recent conversations, was speaking gingerly. The Vessel paid her little mind, as her thoughts were occupied by her ghostly encounter the day before."

"This is so dry. Why is the Universe of the Four Gods dragging on so much now, Keisuke? What is this, 'Dream of Red Chamber' now? Alright, she's a whiney teenager, we've got it! It can move on now."

"Her parents are probably separating."

"So? Yours divorced too while you were little, right? She should just hurry up and get over it. …Keisuke?"

"…I must seem hollow to her, too. As a teacher."

Tetsuya frowned. This was not the time to hear Keisuke turn into an over-sympathetic sap. "I'll read now," he took the book, and found a place to start. "Determined to take action, the Vessel pressed the Empress about where she would have looked for her late husband, celestial warrior Hotohori."

"She's doing what now?"

"She's sneaking out to find more reincarnated warriors—or ghosts, I guess. And she's taking Houki with her!"

"She kidnapped the empress?"

"No—Houki's willingly being her guide!"

* * *

She could tell it would cause some uproar for the empress to disappear, but it seemed that having a large fanfare wasn't going to be effective either. What had started as innocent conversation about something Hotohori had once said—about wanting to see Houki's home village if he ever had a chance—brought out am irrationally rebellious side of Mayo.

"If you must go, do you plan to have Chiriko accompany you?"

"No, he's still waiting for Tasuki to come back with Chichiri, or waiting for something that's never going to happen if it hasn't already." _Besides, I want to hurry and find the other warriors now that I know I can communicate with them._

"Then please bring a guard—"

"That will only complicate everything. Miaka was fine going off by herself when she needed to accomplish something. You should have some faith in me, too."

"If you insist on going, then I insist on guiding you. I would know it better than anyone else here, after all."

"You can leave the palace?"

"I have free will. Who would stop the empress? To prevent anyone from trying, I'll just leave a note."

Houki's note did not go unnoticed long—and it wasn't taken lightly.

"Why did she only take my mother? Doesn't she know it's dangerous—isn't that why there are celestial warriors to protect her?" Boushin threw the note back down against the table it had been left on. She had explained in her letter that Mayo was under stress in the palace, and Houki wanted to take her to retreat at her family home. "_I_ haven't even been there to meet my material grandparents," he scoffed.

"It _does _seem strange for her to do this all of sudden," mused Chiriko. "Perhaps Mayo forced her?"

"She's not malicious. Even if she was the one with a motive, perhaps she would have been more patient if you had allowed her to be more proactive. She was likely stir-crazy," he shot back. "I wish she would have had the sense to bring someone along to protect her. What if something happens to my mother?"

"Usually I would not be as concerned, but with Mayo, she might be a target."

The color drained from Boushin's face as he imagined the danger she could be dragged into. "I need to go find my mother, Chiriko. We're leaving right now before anyone can stop me."

"Boushin, you've just returned! Please leave this to me, and your soldiers!"

"My _mother_, Chiriko. This is an order. Come with me right now or I will go by myself."

"You're getting quite accustomed to using your authority now, aren't you," he grumbled, and wrote an additional note to leave with Houki's.

* * *

Suboshi was keenly alert upon his return. There was an extra spring in his step, but even that was something to keep in check if he didn't want to give any news away. Naturally, upon his return Nakago had asked about his brother, and he calmly stated that he was able to watch and verify that he was leading a happy life, completely unaware of his past.

"If I may ask, Nakago," he looked up from where he was kneeling. "How were you aware of my brother having survived? Did you know all along that he had never died?"

"At the time, no one would have had more knowledge than you. For his life force to have been so depleted so as to convince his twin brother, I could only assume he had perished."

"But I became aware of him again only recently."

"You think I couldn't tell why you massacred Tomo?" he shot him a knowing smile, making the general flinch. "There is no reason to discipline you for holding a harmless secret. Amiboshi is no threat to the empire."

"You're right," he smiled, relieved. "With only you and I left, the time of Seiryuu has ended anyway."

"You sound so certain."

"Am I mistaken?"

"You might not be aware of it, but you should be able to sense it. Seiryuu was merely asleep, but he was reaching out, using whatever was available to revive himself."

Suboshi quivered.

"Don't you think it's about time he would return?"

* * *

Yui felt a chill down her spine.

"Are you alright?" asked Miaka.

"I'm fine. The thought of that last wish just ran through my mind again," she smiled bravely. "It seems strange. Seiryuu has likely been within me this entire time, sleeping so soundly that I hadn't even noticed. Or bothered to notice, perhaps."

"…Does it hurt?"

"It did at the time. Draining, more like it. Tetsuya and Keisuke explained to me later on about how the priestesses are meant to be sacrifices. You knew that too, right?"

"Yes, but it didn't it bother me. Not about me, anyway—I wouldn't want it to happen to you! Anyway, that's only happened once—the Priestess of Byakko had a strong will," she looked out the window at the farmers tending their desert-suited gardens. "Her will is still protecting this place, even after she's gone."

"I'm sure I wouldn't have made it then. I didn't even have a strong enough will to choose my own wishes," she chuckled at herself. "Nakago made me wish for the success of his war, and to seal Suzaku. Looks like that one's already been undone, though!"

"Yes," Miaka's glance fell. "This girl, Mayo… do you think she's alright?"

"Maybe not in the head."

"In any case, she trampled all over how I hoped things would end," she had a wry smile. "I understand now that there was more to it, but at the time, it seemed like the whole war was between the Suzaku warriors and the Seiryuu warriors, not Konan and Kutou. I thought that if you and I weren't in the picture anymore, that they would give up."

Yui frowned and felt uneasy as the wartime images shot through her head. "The last I saw, you were charging at Nakago. A suicide charge, just like Tamahome had tried, but you never even got close. Nakago hit you with his life force, and then you fell far away from where I could see you. What happened after that?"

"I was barely conscious when my warriors found me, and probably close enough to death to convince anyone of that. Hotohori held me for the last time, armor and all. He told me I'd be alright, and I smiled and told him I was going to see Tamahome. He told me I wouldn't. I told him to tell everyone I was gone—I believed that would stop all the senseless fighting. He didn't want to, but he agreed. Chichiri escaped with me so I could heal in seclusion, and then I slept… probably… probably until the entire war was over and peace terms were settled. I don't remember any dreams or anything."

"The word spread quickly. I was told almost immediately someone had confirmed you had died and that the Konan army was mourning for you. It was such a haze. I remember crying and screaming at Nakago, and then maybe fainting, and seeing Seiryuu, and then waking up in my room back in Tokyo. And now we're both back here."

"Yes," she meekly replied..

"Miaka, I think there's a reason for that. Our stories never reached their conclusions. We—"

They were interrupted by the sound of someone calling Miaka's name outside. The girls looked at each other, and then to the window. "Is that Tasuki?" Miaka wondered aloud as she stepped over to peer outside. "It is! Tasuki!" she smiled brightly and bolted out as if she hadn't even been in a discussion with Yui. By the time she reached him, Chichiri was already there.

"Tasuki! What you are doing here?"

"What are _you _doin' out here in the middle of nowhere!?"

The commotion had summoned Kaika out of the fields. "Oh, Miaka," he smiled. "Is this another one of your friends?"

"And what are you doin' hangin' out with the _traitor_!?"

"Traitor?"

"Don't tell me you didn't have any idea anything was up," he growled back to the object of his search, pointing to the red character on his arm.

"I came here _because _I knew something was happening," she replied, and stood back to reveal Yui a few steps behind her. Tasuki stared for a few moments before he recalled who she was, and once it dawned on him, his anger melted into utter surprise.

"Oh. There's a lot more happenin' than I thought."

"What's going on elsewhere?" asked Chichiri.

"We've got a new self-proclaimed priestess, that's what."

Yui invited herself into the conversation, and Kaika only stood and darted his glance between them all as they spoke. "Mayo Sakaki is in Konan?"

"Yeah, and she's a real nutcase."

"Then she must be fine," Yui heaved a resigned sigh.

"And," he started, but paused and shot a look back at Yui cautiously. "…Sorry. I have some other things to talk about with my comrades here. Would ya mind?"

"No, not at all. Kaika, let's leave them alone."

He could only nod and follow her off a distance. Looking over his shoulder he saw his additional house guests looking very concerned about something else Tasuki was saying, but it was out of his ear shot. He turned back to Yui and spoke in a low voice. "That was a little rude of them, wasn't it?"

"We weren't exactly their friends the last time you or I saw them."

"But isn't the war between Kutou and Konan over now?"

"Not everything has been resolved."

"Oh," his tone sank.

Yui took note. "Don't worry. I don't think anyone in Sairou will get caught up in this again."

"Right, Suboshi said we just need to lay low…"

Kaika might not have understood what Suboshi meant by that, but it immediately jumped to Yui's mind. _Nakago… as I am now, he might be able to sense me again._

* * *

"It's not too late to go back and ask Counselor Chou to help us," advised Chiriko.

"We'll lose them if we do that. Besides, I know you plan to have him take me back so that you can stay with Mayo if she won't come willingly."

"The safety of the emperor is a national concern. I wish you would consider your own safety." Despite using his most admonishing of tones, he was ignored, and sighed in defeat. "I'm proud of how assertive you've become in a short time. That will be a good trait for leading your country-if only it's not your most stubborn trait."

"I'm not leading it _yet_. This is how I can protect Konan before anyone will listen to me. But I still need help-if Tasuki thought he could sense where Miaka would be, could you focus and see if you could find Mayo?"

"So you didn't just bring me along to navigate the way to your mother's village."

"I'm fairly certain I can read the map myself. I was hoping you could make yourself useful as a celestial warrior."

"I apologize for my usefulness being so limited."

Chiriko's curtness made Boushin feel he might have offended him, but his expression lent nothing to that. Not wanting to risk being misunderstood but too proud to apologize, he continued. "There are certain abilities I lack. In addition to the responsibilities I've inherited, at least I also hold my father's sword. So long as we can locate Mayo, then perhaps I can prove useful as well."

The counselor chose not to respond.


	16. Demons

Houki and Mayo traveled simply, but Houki had still prepared enough to make sure that Mayo would be comfortable. The carriage they had hired was a slow and mostly smooth ride, leaving them time to sit in silence. The soft bumps in the road brought Houki back to a time when she had first come along that rode in the back of a carriage—at that time, she was leaving her village to join the imperial harem.

Over the course of their short marriage, Hotohori had mentioned to her that he'd very much like to see the place where she had spent her childhood, and that maybe he could live his next life a little simpler if he was born there.

_Will I see you there? Happy, and oblivious? _she wondered. _Would you recognize me?_

Once Houki had nodded off to sleep, Mayo was still awake, but not aware of any coherent thoughts until a very distinct voice caught her attention. "So you think you're pretty clever running out into the middle of the unknown, huh?"

"Nuriko," she looked over her shoulder and saw his faint figure sitting with her, a little clearer than he had been before.

"It used to drive us crazy when Miaka would do this."

"I'm doing more out here than I would if I just stayed in the palace."

"You're already doing more than enough by staying put."

"_You're _encouraging."

"And you're sarcastic."

"If I remember correctly, I'm here to make sure Suzaku is summoned, and you're tagging along to make sure nothing happens to me, so how about we both do our jobs?"

"You don't need to act so tough, Mayo," he smiled. "I'm sure Suzaku wouldn't have asked for your help if you were rotten to the core, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that deep down you're actually a good girl."

"You'd be the only one to think that," she rolled her eyes and hugged her knees to her chest. "At least here I'm important."

"I'm glad you're here. I think someone a little stubborn like you is exactly what we've needed. Without you, our story might have never gone on."

"You can't even begin to understand the irony in what you just said," she couldn't help but smile. "Do you really think so, or are you just saying that to win me over?"

"I'm dead, what good does it do me to lie about anything now?"

A giggle escaped. "You're not quite like I imagined you, Nuriko."

"And how about Tasuki? I noticed you had the hots for him."

"Yeah, _that _only went one way."

"You're still just a kitten. You can't expect to have men falling for you everywhere… well, Miaka was a strange case, but she was strange to begin with. Still, with a little fine tuning, I could picture you with an older man."

"Well, they're _all _older now—ah!"

Mayo's words were cut off as the carriage abruptly shook and they heard the carriage driver cry out. Houki—startled awake—and Mayo held each other in fear as something seemed to lift the carriage and the horse outside whinnied in fear. Nuriko's armlets appeared in an instant and he held the cart as still as he could. Being on the outside, he saw a demon trying to lift it, and a boy floating some distance away and watching with intrigue. With the carriage relatively still, Mayo looked out the window and noticed him. "Miboshi," she gasped under her breath. "We have to run!" she took Houki by the wrist, and they fled from the other side of the carriage.

She wasn't sure how far they had gotten, but she wasn't willing to look behind her. For the first time since she had entered the Universe of the Four Gods, she felt gripped with fear, but there was still an expectation that a warrior would arrive to save her. Before seeing any warriors, she saw another monstrous foe appear in their path.

"Demons? Here?" gasped Houki, unsure of how they should defend themselves. For lack of anything else, she picked up a dried branch and brandished it while yelling at the demon to get back. Just as Mayo was thinking that this wasn't quite the warrior she expected, they heard a boy's voice order the demon away. They caught sight of Boushin just as he attacked the demon with Hotohori's sword.

"Boushin!" Mayo smiled and yelled out to him. As the demon fell, she saw Chiriko behind him, having contained it with this scroll.

"Don't move!" the boy called back to her. "Miboshi must be nearby!"

"Present," said warrior appeared in the air, fully revealing Juan's small frame and his own off-putting cocky expression. "Now this is certainly interesting. That doesn't look like the Priestess of Suzaku I knew."

"And maybe I'm not," she retorted, though at little surprised at her own choice of words. "And you should know better than to attack on our territory."

Miboshi roared in laughter. "This territory belongs to Kutou, Priestess. No…" he took a more discerning look. "Maybe that's not the right title after all. Suzaku doesn't seem to have been summoned."

"What?" Boushin looked back at her briefly for any doubt, but he quickly thought better of believing him. "You wouldn't know anything. Be gone, monster!" he pointed his sword.

"Attacking me? Go ahead."

As Miboshi expected him to, Boushin flinched at the thought of striking Juan. Despite his distorted expression, his face still had his features. He hoped that somewhere inside Juan had the celestial strength to fight against Miboshi, but he was only a child, and did not seem to have any recollection of his warrior past. "Juan, this is a battle you have to win!" he cried. "You're my fellow Suzaku warrior, remember? Don't let him beat you!"

Miboshi showed no signs of internal distress, and turned his attention back to Mayo. "If Suzaku's not going to come out, then I'll just have to go there first." Mayo could only assume he meant to possess her, and she flinched and concentrated on not letting anyone enter her. With her eyes clenched shut, she didn't notice the vapor Miboshi was releasing from his spindle. The cloud picked up speed as it floated towards her, and Boushin stepped in front to guard her with this sword, yelling as if to scare it off.

Perhaps as he should have expected, the vapor hit him first, and he inhaled it. Mayo, curious as to why nothing had happened, opened her eyes to see him tottering in front of her. "Boushin!" she yelled and reached out to catch him. "Bou—" she was cut off as Houki clasped her mouth shut from behind.

"Don't breathe," she whispered from behind her sleeve.

The spindle continued to release the vapor until it was wrapped in Chiriko's scroll. Slightly irked, Miboshi tugged to try to get his hand free. With a glower over his shoulder, "Cute. Very cute. Do you plan to stand here all day like this?"

"So you _do _need that."

"Did you think it was décor? Don't worry, it'll still be a few decades before I run out of surprises for you."

Chiriko glanced over to check on Boushin. He was unconscious in Mayo's lap, and all Chiriko could think to do was stall. "I hope to return the favor."

"You're not being threatening, you're just being annoying," he rolled his eyes and continued tugging to try to free his weapon. "We both know you can't surprise me anymore."

"Maybe _I'm_ not able to."

"What? You think your little friend inside here will?" he continued talking as he reached for the scroll with his free hand to try to rip it off. "It hasn't happened yet. You—" Miboshi was cut off by a cold rod forcing his arm against his back. Before he could even yelp in surprise, he whipped his head around to see Chichiri holding his staff against him. Mayo and the others were already gathered on his tunic, and Chiriko ran to join them. "Chichiri," Miboshi growled, and accepted temporary defeat as they escaped.

* * *

After putting up a fight with Chichiri's horse, Tasuki had gotten it to behave well enough so that he could match Miaka's pace—usually. Catching up for the sixth time in one hour, he rode close enough to talk to her. "Sorry for draggin' you away from your friend back there."

"It's alright. I know she's safe now with Amiboshi. I have to meet Mayo."

"Ungh. She's just a big teenage pain."

"I'll bet I was a big teenage pain when I first got here, huh?"

"Yeah, I can't argue there. And gettin' all the way out here was a pain too. Phew! But it's fun to be traveling again—you an' Chichiri have all the fun without me."

"Now it'll be even harder to keep an eye on that man. I should see if I can hide his hat."

"Aw, come on, he's not even your husband, ya don't need t' keep that close an eye on him!" he leaned toward her with a playful grin. "You could even head out on your own an' come hang out with the bandits for a while."

"What, are you lonely?" she smirked.

"Well, is that bad?" he growled back, quieting her. "It's been ten years already, Miaka. You can move on already. Maybe Suzaku comin' back is the slap in the face we all needed."

"What are you saying, Tasuki?"

"I like you, Miaka, and I wish you'd just get over the past already."

"Then you're asking me to marry you?" she shot him an angry look. "I'm quite happy with my life as it is right now."

"What, babysittin' Tama's grave? Ya' didn't die there with him—you should live your own life now, and go find some real happiness! If that means really getting married, sure, fine, great! All I'm sayin' is for you to stop bein' stuck on him."

"You're saying you want me to forget about Tamahome and go make _you _happy."

"Don't make me the bad guy for liking you."

"I am still in love with Tamahome. And Chichiri would be lonely! What would he think if he knew you sent him on to the palace so that you could put the moves on me?"

"Chichiri wouldn't take it that hard. We've all had time to move on—and now that things are moving, then we might as well just get them all movin'! I don't want to pretend the stuff between you and Tamahome never existed, but let's just stop pretending that none of it ever happened, and just do what we need t' do now. Like that Mayo girl—hell, if she's really able to summon Suzaku, then maybe we just gotta go with it. This might be a good thing after all."

"It can't be good. Not if Yui's back here, too. And not if Nakago already knows and has Miboshi after Mayo!"

"What do you wanna do? Change course and go assassinate Nakago? I'm game if you are."

"I wouldn't be able to do what you're asking, Tasuki, but I don't want you getting killed either. Let's just get back home to meet back up with Chichiri."

* * *

Chichiri had arrived at the palace only to find everyone in an uproar when they discovered two notes in place of four people. Though they noticed him there, they did not have long to say anything to him before he flashed away to find Chiriko and the others in battle with Miboshi. Back safely in the little house he shared with Miaka, he moved the furniture between the two little rooms so that Mayo could have the bedroom to rest in and Boushin could be observed in the other.

Exhausted though she was, Mayo couldn't stand to lie down until she was sure the young emperor was alright. Leaning in the doorway, she watched as Houki stroked his forehead with a damp cloth and Chichiri felt his pulse and exchanged glances with Chiriko. "Well?" she finally asked. "What is it? Poison?"

"Some form of it, likely. It doesn't affect the body so much as—"

"The mind," she finished. "It's kodoku, isn't it?"

"Maybe something similar to it," Chiriko looked back down at Boushin's wincing face. "Since he was aiming at harming Suzaku inside of you, I wouldn't be surprised if it's some form of a demon."

"Well, what are you just standing there for? Get it out of him!"

"Mayo," Houki looked up to her. "I wish I could demand that even more than you do, but we cannot assume it's so simple."

"Why shouldn't it be? You're both Suzaku warriors, time and space shouldn't have any limits on you. Just go in there and beat that thing."

"You talk about this like it's a game or a fantasy, you know."

"You have no idea, do you, Chichiri? At least I take it you're Chichiri."

"That's me, you know."

"Now that you mention it," Chiriko thought aloud, "There might be some possibility of entering his inner space." His statement earned him stares from around the room, and continued. "I've been entered by a living spirit before too, after all. Perhaps it's only that he's lost in some mental fog and needs to be led out."

Houki glanced down at his pained face. "It wouldn't hurt either of you if you attempt that, would it?"

"If done benevolently, I don't think it would. I'm just not sure how much good it would do."

"Then just do it already!" Mayo shouted. "Which one of you is going to try? Or should I? Well?"

They looked to each other suggesting the other do it, but Chichiri was the first to speak. "It could be a maze we're running into inside his inner space, but you're likely to find your way first, you know? I can see what I can do make it easier from here," he said. Three talismans appeared in his hand, and with them he set up a red barrier surrounding Boushin's bed. "This can help show you the way back and weaken any demons that might be inside of him."

"I understand. I'll try," he responded and took a seat, then took Boushin's hand. "This might not work, but I'll do my best, Houki."

"I know," she said softly, doing her best to stay strong. _Your Highness_, she prayed. Upon that thought, she looked around the room for his sword. The fact that she couldn't spot it bothered her, but not enough to draw her away to go look for it.


	17. A Father

**Author Fangirling: **The nice thing about Fushigi Yuugi is that nobody_ really_ dies. They just make people sad about their absence for a while and come back later as pretty, shiny ghosts. Ta da!

Now that characters like Nakago are taking more active moves, this story is moving into another phase. Thanks again for reading thus far and your patience with my drawn-out style for this fic, and there is still plenty more from here on out. Please remember to leave a review, thanks! ~Appa

* * *

Yui watched Kouei and Shuuei sleep peacefully—however peaceful being piled on top of each other could be—and felt a smile hit her lips, though it did not match the rest of her expression.

"Is something the matter?" Xi Fang startled her.

"Nothing, just sad to see Miaka go."

"And worried?"

"Come again?"

"Nothing," she turned. "You should be sleeping soon, too."

"Right," she replied. "Thank you for taking such good care of me, Xi Fang. You've done so much."

Gingerly stepping through the house once she was sure everyone was asleep, Yui gathered a small bag of supplies and headed out the door. Though stealing from the people who took responsibility for her made her conscience feel like it was corroding, she justified it as being necessary in order to keep them safe. Suboshi had planned for her hiding almost too well, and she felt that staying there would alert Nakago to Kaika's happy little family. Seeing Miaka alive and well was the impetus Yui needed to see how far her own courage would take her alone.

This would not be that night. "Yui!" a whispered voice called behind her. Kaika had followed her out the front door. "I know where you're going."

"I appreciate what you and your family have done for me, but I'm afraid Nakago will know I've returned. I can't run away from him here."

"I'll escort you."

"There's nothing for you in Kutou, Kaika. Suboshi would be happier if you stay here."

"The same goes for you. I might not have fulfilled my responsibility to you before, but I need to make sure you're safe now."

"You don't have to do that. Go back with your family."

"I'm going because I have a responsibility to them, too."

They looked at each other for a silent moment as their eyes adjusted to the darkness, and Yui could tell he shared her concerns. Escorting her was less a matter of keeping her safe, and more a matter of keeping her safe elsewhere. "Very well. Let's leave quickly."

Xi Fang had nodded off to a troubled sleep, but as her hands searched around the bed for her husband's warmth, she jolted awake when she didn't find him. "Kaika?" she breathed his name and looked around in the dark, then sprung out of bed towards the front door. She had woken up too late, and he had already left. She sank to her knees in the doorway and cried, knowing exactly where he must have gone.

* * *

In Kutou, Suboshi was not aware they were moving, but he could tell Nakago knew of Yui's presence. What had him more disturbed was what Nakago said about Seiryuu taking advantage of anything to reawaken himself.

_I called her here. I'm the one who put Yui in danger. _

All this time, Nakago wasn't even the one he should be most afraid of. "Damn you, Seiryuu!" he found himself cursing in the shrine. "You've been summoned, what more do you want?"

"That's a dangerous question," Nakago appeared behind him, shocking Suboshi to hear him at that hour. The emperor casually strolled in behind him, acting oblivious to the true cause Suboshi's frustration. "The beast gods were never meant to serve us by benevolently granting us wishes. Originally, making sacrifices was meant to appease them so they wouldn't cause harm."

"But… but they still _have _granted wishes…"

"It's an arrangement. The gods are granted respect and feared, and we only owe them a limited amount of sacrifice now: a virgin, and as necessary, her warriors."

"That doesn't make any sense. Warriors benefit from having powers, too."

"Humans must be appeased as well, lest they become vengeful."

"So everyone else gets a free pass? That's ludicrous. It's too tidy, if you ask me—the whole seven warriors and one priestess thing. If the gods are that powerful, what use do they even have for us?"

"We allow them to exist. This arrangement controls their destiny as well as ours. It may be because of this arrangement that our world exists at all."

Suboshi stared back cynically. "Really. And who is responsible for that?"

"That is exactly what I would like to know. You're right, it's too neat—too scripted. It had to have been born out of a chaos."

The general stared back with no response, and watched carefully as Nakago opened his palm to reveal a clam shell. Suboshi recognized it as Tomo's, but did not recognize any of its contents. When opened, it cast an image of large buildings teeming with people nearly stacked on top of each other, horseless carriages zooming through the roads in tight packs and making strange noises, and bright images attached to every surface full of colors and language he had never fathomed.

"This chaos," explained Nakago, "is the world where the priestesses come from."

* * *

After what had seemed like many failed attempts at defying common physics, Chiriko was slumped over at Boushin's side and did not move for some time. Chichiri also stayed still, concentrating on keeping a barrier up. With a glance over to Houki, he nodded that it unnecessary for her to stay at his side. Much as her motherly instincts insisted that she stay, she knew she should leave them to their rescue attempt.

Quietly stepping into the next room, she found Mayo still awake. "Did it work?" she asked eagerly.

"It's too soon to say," she shook her head. She'd be lying if she said she didn't blame Mayo at all for Boushin's condition, but addressing that now would be fruitless.

"I'm sorry," she choked out. "It's my fault."

"As a priestess, you must accept that warriors will fight on your behalf."

"But Boushin shouldn't be a warrior for me. It's too dangerous. And besides, they… they can disappear too."

"Mayo…"

"I wish Nuriko would come back," she started to cry. Though Houki didn't know what she meant, she took a seat next to her to comfort her.

"I wish she was here, too. I miss her in a special way, like I miss His Majesty. All we can do is trust those who are here now, including Boushin."

"I don't know where they are, but they aren't gone, Houki. I'm sure they've been close this whole time, but without Suzaku no one's noticed them. They must be here somewhere."

"Mayo, they've died."

"But they've been here with us! Nuriko can still see you even if you can't see him. And he's so proud of you, but he can't tell you that!" she choked on sobs.

Watching her, Houki began to tear up as well and her throat tightened. "You _do _know that, don't you?" Her head bobbed in a nod, and the empress put a hand to her mouth, overwhelmed.

"Maybe…" squeaked Mayo, "Maybe I'm not a priestess after all."

From the next room, Chichiri could hear pieces of their conversation through the walls. If only he still had some way to communicate with Taiitsukun he could figure what was going on and what exactly they should do—especially if old enemies were taking steps to prevent whatever that was.

He broke out of his thoughts when he saw Chiriko stir. "Well? Any luck?"

"I feel like I saw him far away, but I lost him," he said, sounding groggy.

"How did he look?"

"Scared… and I couldn't tell what else was going on. I think I can find him again."

Chiriko's periods of success lasted in continually longer intervals after that, but Chichiri's only indications of what was going on were on Boushin's wincing face. The hours dragged on into the morning.

* * *

Boushin couldn't tell where he was, only that he needed to hide, but the only things to hide among were the shadows of monsters, and between all those shadows was what seemed like soaked cobwebs that felt sickening against his skin. He was getting exhausted by running back and forth among them, trying to keep from being noticed, and then running as fast as he could when he was, only to get tangled in webs. He couldn't tell how long this had gone on, and there didn't seem to be an end to it.

He couldn't continue to outrun them. At once his ankle was caught by something sharp, and he was dragged towards monsters he had already tried to put behind him. In their midst, he could only cower and try to guard his head as they repeatedly beat him. He felt disoriented as they thrashed around, and there was no sign of the chaos letting up.

As any remaining shred of rational thought seemed to flee him, the monster made a very sudden stop. He wasn't sure if they had abruptly decided they weren't interested in him anymore, or if it was just his imagination trying to help him escape.

"Boushin!" a familiar voice called out. It took him a moment, but he recognized that the voice belonged to Chiriko. Finally daring to look around, he saw that the monsters were twitching, nearly frozen by a scroll which Chiriko stood at the other end of. "I'll hold them off. Get away!"

The moment was brief, but it was the first chance the boy had taken to take a good look at his situation and try to decide the best thing to do. He couldn't stay there—there had to be some way out, and he needed to notice it.

He ran between two of the monsters in the circle that had surrounded him and looked for any kind of exit. Instead of finding a light, instead he only saw more monsters coming towards him. As they came faster, he stood and braced himself.

A flash got his attention—it was the reflection off a blade, held by someone in front of him. "This way," the person said and took him by the hand to lead him through a window that only appeared for a moment. Boushin found himself in a stiller, brighter place. Despite the strangeness of it, the quiet gave him a moment to think, and it made perfect sense that he wasn't there in a physical sense. Being very quick to accept that, he faced his rescuer: a young man with flowing hair and a gentle gaze, who was sheathing a sword Boushin recognized very well. The man gave him a fond smile.

"That sword," the boy began, "must belong to you."

He nodded.

"You're Hotohori…" he addressed him formally, "My father." As the word came out of his mouth, he felt like something precious had just escaped his lips and that he should catch it and hold it tightly again. To remain composed, he held his head up very straight.

"Boushin."

As if his name was a gate to open, they immediately embraced. "Boushin," Hotohori said again. "I'm so proud of you. I'm sorry I've been such a terrible father to you."

"No. You're not terrible at all!" he shook his head. "I… I've always heard so much about you… and I try every day… to…" he was so overwhelmed that he found it difficult to breathe and speak at the same time. "Are you really proud of me?"

"You can't imagine. And I've wanted so much—your entire life—to be able to hold you like this and talk to you. Let me take a good look at you," he crouched to roughly his eye level and held a hand to his cheek. Being under his gaze, Boushin felt embarrassed, but nonetheless in awe to get a good look at his father's face as well. A smile crept to his lips, Hotohori did the same, and soon they found themselves chuckling. "Boushin," Hotohori looked flushed with joy, "You look just like me."

Boushin's euphoria dissipated. "_That's _what you've wanted to tell me my whole life?"

"It's a plus," he replied. "Come. Let's talk a while and let you recover."

Boushin was barely conscious of whether they were strolling or sitting, but he had the distinct impression that he was following him. Hotohori never seemed to lose eye contact, and it was like they were floating together. "I see that you've learned quite a bit recently."

"Yes, probably more than I have in my entire life. They had been keeping everything from me for so long."

"Let's blame Miaka for most of that, shall we?" he joked. "I had to work very hard to obey her wishes."

"It's even hard for me now not to tell everyone that she's still alive! How could you do it?"

"It would have been harder to disrespect her wishes," he thought back to that moment when she was barely clinging to life in his arms, desperate for Tamahome, and asking for everything to stop.

"Oh," his voice fell. "You must have cared very much about her…"

"Boushin," he lifted his son's chin back up. "I love you very much."

The boy blushed and didn't have any appropriate reply, save "thank you."

"You can't fathom how deep my love for you is, as well as my love for your mother. It's true that it was necessary for me to produce an heir, but the circumstances did not make any difference."

"Oh," he had a sheepish smile. "You heard what Mayo and I were talking about that day."

"Yes. And I won't lie to you—my love for Miaka is also very deep."

Boushin didn't expect words like that to sting.

"There was a time in my youth when I did want to marry Miaka, and I was jealous of Tamahome. Her place in my heart will not change, but her place in my life did. She is my priestess; Houki is my wife—a woman who stood by me because I was the man she loved. Our circumstances pushed us together, but my only regret is that I left her alone to raise you herself, and that I left you alone to raise the country I loved."

"You don't have to worry! I love Konan, too! I want to summon Suzaku for all the people in it! Please, don't have that regret. I want you to be able to leave Konan to me. I'm trying so hard…"

"I know you are. Miaka's the one you're going to have trouble with."

"What?"

"She loves Konan too, so she will come around."

"Father, are you implying that she can still summon Suzaku?"

"Am I?"

"I'm afraid I haven't spent enough time with you to understand your sense of humor. But…" he trailed off in thought. "For you, it wasn't actually about summoning Suzaku, was it? You went into war and faced Nakago even when Suzaku was no longer here."

Hotohori smiled back. "I'm pleased that you understand."

"What should I do, then? Can I take back Konan?"

"I do not know the future," he looked more solemn, "but I do know that I trust you."

Boushin felt as though he would cry under pressure, but strangely, he felt refreshed instead.

"This sword will belong to you," Hotohori held it up as he drew out the blade from the scabbard, "but for now we have to get you back where you belong."

Boushin knew that meant going back to face the monsters, but he followed unafraid.

* * *

Chiriko had been struggling to find a safe way out amid all the crowds of monsters, but already being familiar with Miboshi's array, he wasn't terribly phased as they attacked. He only needed to make sure he kept the path for Boushin safe, and wait for him to come back from whatever deeper state of consciousness he had entered.

A flash of red light caught his and the monsters' attention, and as if flooding in through a tear in fabric, two forms he recognized rushed out. Hotohori slashed at the monsters, making way for Boushin to run past. "Chiriko is over there waiting for you," he said, and Boushin darted towards him. One by one, the slashed monsters disappeared, and those left crowded in front of Boushin to prevent his escape. Instead of waiting for them to attack, he braced his head with one arm and ran through them as fast as he could. "Go, Boushin!"

He and Chiriko reached for each other, and Chiriko pulled him close once he had a hold of him. "I have him!" he called to his fellow warrior, and then started to back away into what seemed like another tear. Hotohori nodded them off with a proud smile, and Boushin called after him one last time.

"I'm going now, Father! I'll be alright! I'll save Konan!"

After that, he was running through a dark tunnel with Chiriko. "Just keep going forward. Do you see Chichiri's light?"

He peered ahead and saw a red haze. "Yes."

"Good. You have to get to it! That's your way out!"

Boushin ran faster. Faster and faster—he didn't care if there was still anything behind him, he just needed to move forward.

* * *

Everyone was alerted to a loud gasp. Boushin panted in quick breaths, and Houki was immediately at his side. "Boushin! Are you alright now?"

"Mother…"

Mayo peered in from the doorway at the sound, and Chiriko slowly roused next to him. Houki could be strong no longer and cried tears of gratefulness as she pressed her forehead against his and held his cheeks. "It's alright now, Mother. I'm here."

As he was assisted to a sitting position, Mayo dashed across the room to his bed to embrace him. "Boushin!" she cried. "You did it! I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I ran away."

"I'm relieved you're safe."

"You think you're so cool," she had an odd smile behind her tears. "But what else could I expect from my bravest warrior?"

He broke into a bashful smile at the title. "You don't need to call me that."

Chiriko lethargically sat up, impressed that Mayo's idea had actually worked, and that he had succeeded. Maybe—just maybe—this would prove useful in other ways.


	18. Life Force

As much as Suboshi wanted to hide from Nakago or run away, he had been around Nakago long enough to know he'd likely expect that. Nakago was never shocked by anything. Even when Suboshi was a rash youth and murdered a fellow Seiryuu warrior, all he had done was give him a knowing tease. His recent attitude was much the same.

The last thing Nakago would expect, Suboshi figured, was for him to show a willing interest. The only question was how well he could keep up an act—never his strong suit.

"Lord Nakago," he asked, "Could I see that world inside the shell again?"

"For how much it scared you last night, you're quick to be curious," he replied and obliged. Suboshi had to feign a bit of his interest, but could not deny how alluring that world was.

"Wow," he smiled, his eyes tracing lines of motion around the bustling chaos. "Have you ever found Lady Yui among all those people?"

"This is only an image of that world. A fabrication."

"So she's not here?"

"These are images from inside the Priestess of Suzaku's head. If you look hard enough, you might be able to find her."

"What about Seiryuu? Would Seiryuu be looking?"

Nakago eyed him. "Should he?"

"Well, if he's active, then… what role would we play? Didn't we already ensure that he was summoned?"

"We're still owed our own wishes."

"But that doesn't make sense. They're Lady Yui's wishes."

"It's fine to our have our own motivation. I still have interest in the world you see inside this shell, and you still have interest in Lady Yui. Miboshi, I'm sure, has his own motivation."

"Miboshi? Since when has he…?"

"You should be more concerned about Suzaku's return than his."

* * *

Despite his ordeal, Boushin seemed oddly well rested by the following morning, and was offering to help his mother take care of Mayo. Though he was not very good at it, he found something oddly pleasant about doing menial chores together like cracking eggs and sweeping, bumping elbows with his mother the entire time in their cramped and borrowed space. Houki shared a smile with him, but now that she could relax about his condition, something else was bothering her again. "I'm sorry to ask you about this, Boushin, but your father's sword…"

"Oh, it's safe," he replied. A gigglesome grin crept to his face as knew he was holding a secret, but that reminded him of something he had been pondering since waking up. "Chichiri," he addressed the warrior, "how come I was able to see Chiriko inside of my head?"

"That's where he projected his life force, you know?"

"I see. So it doesn't have to do with his body at all. If a ghost has life force, then you can see them too, right?"

"Well, that," he had a mix of a smile and frown bending together on his rubbery face, "that would be nice if it worked that way."

At this, both Boushin and Mayo had knowing smiles. "Speaking of Chiriko, how is he? He went to bed very early last night," asked she.

"It looks like he got up early and went out somewhere," replied the boy. "I thought he'd be back by now."

"He wouldn't be looking for your sword, would he?"

"No, he wouldn't," he shock his head. _He saw clearly that my father had it. _

"Maybe he got lost on a walk around the village, you know?"

"What about Tasuki?" asked Mayo. "What's taking him so long? He found you, didn't he?"

"He's going to come back here with Miaka."

"Miaka?"

"Miaka!?" Houki sounded more surprised than Mayo did. She looked first at Chichiri with wide eyes, and then down to Boushin. "She's alive?"

"Oops."

The empress sank into a chair. "But… why would you keep that secret? Is she well, then? Is anyone else…?"

"No," Chichiri shook his head. "It's only Miaka. But I'm sure she'll be happy to see you, you know."

"So she was still here after all," sighed Mayo. When the contents of the book had flowed into her mind it never definitively said she had died, so she wasn't entirely surprised. The other piece of knowledge Mayo had that the others didn't was that she and Tamahome had refrained from touching each other. That could only lead Mayo to one obvious conclusion.

She fingered her belly, still small as it always had been, but warm with Suzaku's presence. Hers was a role no priestess had ever had.

* * *

"Tetsuya."

"What?"

"Are you flipping ahead?"

"Why haven't we ever tried this?"

"And?"

"…it's like they're all the same," he hung his head. "Why won't it go on?"

"And get back to Yui, you mean? Let's not forget about Miaka and Sakaki here, too. We've got to figure out some way to contact them... except that Miaka's been there ten years without any thing from this world, and Sakaki probably did a good job of making sure we have no way to contact her."

"Yeah, but who says she even wants to come back? She went in there as an escape. She must have been easy for Suzaku to use because there was no resistance."

"No resistance," he looked back to the words on the page reflecting her thoughts. "At least she's mellowing down now, but…"

* * *

"Mayo? Mayo!"

She snapped awake, and saw a fuzzy face over her. "Nu… no, Houki…"

"You looked so pale a moment ago… !"

"I'm fine. Maybe I should just have some water."

"Of course."

Mayo struggled to sit up in bed. If how bad she felt could have any indication of how strong Suzaku had gotten, he had to ready to do godly things again soon. This made her certain that Nuriko wasn't nearby for any ghostly consultation.

"Do you think Miaka will be here soon?"

"Chichiri made it sound like she would be."

"Oh… it's… it's quiet here right now, isn't it?"

"Yes. Chichiri and Boushin went looking for Chiriko."

* * *

"Chiriko? Chiriko, where are you?" Boushin called, and then folded his arms. "I can guess that he probably went after Miboshi, but he could have at least left a note."

"And had us go after him sooner?"

"He should have had the decency to… oh," he stopped as Chichiri held up the notes Houki and Chiriko had left behind at the palace. "My counselors aren't very happy with me, are they?"

"Next time, you've got to do what Hotohori did and leave a decoy," he happily pointed to himself.

"Decoy?"

In a puff of smoke, Chichiri changed his form to mirror Boushin, causing the boy to rear back on his heels in surprise. "Pretty good, you know?"

"That's amazing! Just how many powers do you have?"

"Some of them might be just a little rusty," he smiled and held up a hand too large to belong to a child. "Some of our abilities come natural, and others take practice."

"Can you look like anyone?"

"Sure!" he instantly changed to look like Tasuki.

"What did Tamahome look like?"

In another puff of smoke, Chichiri resembled a handsome youth holding an armful of money. Boushin laughed, and then asked for Nuriko. With a shriek of surprise, he jumped again. "Nuriko looks just like my mother!"

"How about Hotohori now?" Chichiri changed before getting his answer. Boushin beamed back in a more quiet response to this display. "Well?"

"Hmm," he looked closer. "Surely the bridge of my father's nose must have been higher than this."

"I… I can't do the impossible, you know…"

"Of course not," he shook his head. "And no need to do Mitsukake. I know Juan, and that's good enough for me."

"It's nice to see that you two were able to make friends."

"Right—" he replied as his hand shot for a pouch around his neck, but he was shocked to not find it there. Chichiri asked what was wrong as he felt around his person for where it could have gone. "I had a good luck charm that Juan made for me. Did you take it off of me while I was under Miboshi's poison?"

"No, I haven't seen it."

"I wouldn't have dropped it anywhere. The knot was tighter than that."

"Maybe your mother took it off to make you more comfortable?"

"I really want to find it, Chichiri," he began to search the ground around him. "He made it especially for me. I don't want him to think I didn't like it. I have to have it when I see him again."

Chichiri was sympathetic, and decided against saying anything uncharacteristically pessimistic about those prospects.

"I think I can smell it. It can't be far from here!" Boushin said. "But I'm sure I wouldn't have dropped it while we were walking… do you think this is near where we fought Miboshi the other day? Maybe it came off while I was fighting..."

"Well, we can keep an eye out for it…"

"I have to find it, Chichiri! It's proof of our friendship! It's going to help me find Juan!"

"…Boushin?"

The two froze at the sound of a quiet voice not far away, and looked around cautiously.

It came again a little louder, and more unmistakable. "Boushin?"

"Juan!" he shouted and ran in the direction it came from, with Chichiri not far behind.

As Boushin tore through the bushes, he was taken aback by the sight on the ground. Juan was lying there, pinned to the ground by Chiriko, who lied face down with a hand over Juan's eyes. A scroll was haphazardly strewn over them. "Boushin!" Juan called again, more frantic.

"I'm here!" he dove down to his side and slid Chiriko's hand away. Juan eyes were full of tears, but he was sure it was him and not the monster that had possessed him. "You're back."

Juan couldn't choke out words as he started to wail. Once Chichiri pulled the limp warrior off of him, Boushin pulled his smaller friend up into a tight embrace and whispered to him as he sobbed. "It must have been frightening, but you're alright now."

"Chiriko," Chichiri nudged him. "Wake up."

"I don't know where I was," Juan squeezed back. "I was just tangled… and I… I… didn't even notice… until…"

"It's alright now, Juan."

"Until… I thought… until I thought _you _were there!"

"_Me_?"

"I thought I… smelled the charm I gave you."

"Oh," he shamefully averted his glance. "About that… it's…"

"Oh," Juan noticed a pouch placed in hand. "I _did _smell it."

"Well, I'm glad it helped." _And glad it's safe! _ "Did you wake up after that?"

His glance fell. "N… no… that's… when I heard Uncle Chiriko."

"Chiriko!" Chichiri hissed again.

"And I was… it was… all over me… I couldn't move. I just… I think I screamed, but…"

Boushin was sympathetic and nodded, thinking back to his own monstrous experience. "But Chiriko showed you the way out after that, didn't he?"

Juan looked like he was holding back another bout of tears as he unceasingly shook his head.

"Juan, what did Chiriko do?"

The boys snapped to attention at Chichiri's deep tone. They looked over to see him holding Chiriko, who didn't even show any signs of response or distress. One glance was all it took for Juan to completely lose composure and bawl.


	19. A Sacrifice

Chiriko soon occupied the bed Boushin had been in the day before, and Juan had settled down next to Boushin with some soup Houki had prepared.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes…"

"You weren't… it didn't hurt, I hope…"

"…"

"Juan," Chichiri startled them. "Would you help me go fishing, please?"

He quietly complied. The warrior and the child sat in silence for a while, until as last Chichiri felt it right to speak up. "Your uncles Tasuki and Chiriko and I have known each other for a long time, you know."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't need to feel sorry."

"It's because of me he got hurt."

"He's been hurt before, but another friend of mine helped him. He felt happiest if he could help, so Chiriko let him. He was a doctor, just like you want to be."

"Did he give him medicine?"

"Not at first. He had to calm Chiriko down, and tell him how to help himself, you know?" he smiled. Juan grew a brief smile at this, but quickly melted back down to a guilty frown. "Is that what Uncle Chiriko did for you?"

He nodded.

"He did the same thing for Boushin, too. The monster that was inside of you put a monster inside of Boushin, and he had to tell Boushin how to get away. Getting lost or stuck is nothing to be ashamed about, you know? He _wanted _to help you, just like my friend helped him before."

Juan only nodded, and Chichiri invited him to tell him what happened. "I was stuck in… something dark and stringy. I couldn't move. Uncle Chiriko told me to wake up and get out, but I was scared. So he cut the strings with a red sword."

"A red sword?"

"But I still didn't move, because… because I saw the monster."

"And you were scared?"

"And then Uncle Chiriko made a circle around me with a scroll, and I watched him fight the monster. He kept telling me to get away. And… and he made the monster get close to him, and then he…" Juan's hands started to shake as he motioned holding a sword with two hands in front of himself, "he pinned it to himself."

Chichiri grimaced behind his mask. "Did you get away after that?"

Juan hung and shook his head. "It was loud. The monster was loud. But I heard Uncle Chiriko tell me to look for Boushin, and I did. That's when I woke up. But Boushin wasn't there yet... and then you were there too, and," he looked back over to him nervously, breathing faster with each statement. "I just… I don't… and Shouka… I…"

"It's alright," the warrior drew him in for a hug. "You're safe now, that's what's important. The monster won't come after you anymore."

Juan looked back up with tearful eyes. "But Uncle Chiriko..."

"Juan, Uncle Chiriko made a sacrifice for you. You need to make sure to honor that by taking care of yourself and living a long, good life. You'll help a lot of people, but you have to make sure to be happy too." The boy nodded as best he could in response, and Chichiri smiled. "I get the sense that Uncle Tasuki and Aunt Miaka are going to be here soon. They'll be happy to see you!"

* * *

Boushin was outside of the house, tending a fire for the fish as best he could. Houki had started it for him when he was having trouble, but he was newly frustrated by how easily it would go out. How he pitied his subjects for their difficult conditions.

The weather was mild that day, and small children were chasing each other without a care. He couldn't help but break a smile when he saw them—until one of them kicked dust into his struggling fire. On an impulse he stood and turned to yell something, but stopped when he heard a whooshing and crackling sound behind him. On the ground, his humble fire had raged into an active flame. From the corner of his eye, he spotted someone. "Tasuki!" he smiled and ran to greet him.

"Havin' a little trouble there?" he smiled back and patted his head.

"Not anymore, now that you're here!"

"Sounds like someone's a little more grateful now."

"I beg your pardon for my behavior at the palace."

"Well, as long as my worth around here is appreciated, no hard feelings," he folded his arms, but couldn't wipe a smug grin off his face. Miaka appeared from behind him just as excited.

"Boushin! What are you doing back here already?"

"Hey, that _is _a good question!"

"Oh," he couldn't hide a guilty smile. "It's not _entirely _my fault."

He went on to briefly explain that he had pursued Mayo and his mother and their encounters since then, when Chichiri and Juan returned with a few small fish, which Juan nearly dropped as he ran towards them. "Uncle Tasuki!" he wailed and clung to him.

"Juan! You're alright! An' look at you all the way out here in the middle of nowhere!" he hugged back tightly with a wide smile. Juan only cried back as Tasuki laughed.

This gave Boushin a chance to fetch his mother. Despite having been warned, she initially looked flushed and shocked to see Miaka. Miaka smiled to her sheepishly, but then looked away with a pit of shame in her stomach. Houki stepped towards her, but ultimately sank to her knees in sobs.

"You had to expect something like this when you decided to fake your death, you know," Chichiri said as he served his wife-in-name-only a cup of tea, all the while stealing nervous glances in Chiriko's direction.

"I know," she frowned. "I'm really sorry, Your Highness."

She smiled tenderly. "You can still address me by name. I've had enough time to consider why you might have chosen this, and I'm not angry with you. I only…"

"…wish my father knew?" Boushin finished for her.

"Don't worry, he did! He was my first accomplice," she laughed at herself. "He caught me when I was falling, after all."

"When he announced your death, he did say he heard your final words."

"Yes. He _did _try to talk me out of it, just so you know."

Her smile was faintly downcast. "I'm sure. He said that your last request was for the fighting to end."

"I did ask him to make it end, yes," she frowned. "I only wish I knew what that meant at the time. Houki, had I have known—though I _should_ have known—I would have done everything to stop him!"

"Stop that! That confrontation that day was purely his own decision. It was his fortune that he saw the final day of the war on Konan's soil."

"The war is over, but it's not gone," said Boushin, furrowing his brow. "The peace we know now is merely an agreement to lay down arms. The people are still oppressed by taxes, and as if destiny itself were angered, drought continues on."

"Have you not seen your peoples' lives, my son?" his mother snapped back in a hushed tone. "There will always be poverty unless _you_ have the will to change it. They are resilient. Without fear of violence, they still live their lives in peace."

"Mitsukake didn't have peace. And the other warriors still linger, waiting for Suzaku to be summoned. What plauges Konan most is a lack of hope—a lack of will to make change!"

"My son, do not oversimplify the state of your country's affairs and how to fix them."

"No," frowned Miaka. "He's not entirely wrong. The taxes don't bother people much—until they reap puny crops or need expensive medicine for their families. But hope is what will hurt them most—hope is what drives them to fight for no cause."

"Miaka," he extended a hand to her. "Come with me."

He led her into the bedroom, where Mayo was bedridden but alert. "I was wondering when you would come see me," she made direct eye contact, "Priestess of Suzaku."

* * *

"She said it! Sakaki is officially not crazy anymore!"

"Now if only we could reach out to her—had she left anything important to her here!" groaned Keisuke.

"What about Miaka?"

"It's been ten years for her already. The only thing that would still hold some significance for her from that long ago is a teddy bear that's not even in this world anymore. I've already been wracking my brain about this! What about Yui? Don't you have something of hers?"

"Well," he struggled, "not yet."

"…What do you mean by that?"

"I mean I have something I was going to give her, I just hadn't yet."

Once he was egged on enough, Tetsuya went to his bedroom to fetch a small box. It held clear, sky blue-tinted earrings. "Even though she cut off all ties with Nakago, she still felt like she should have kept the earring he gave her," he explained. "I thought these could fill that place, maybe. Without being too similar, you know? What with the anniversary of when we first found the book and all the madness with Sakaki stalking her, I thought it'd be better to wait on giving them to her."

Keisuke eyed him, then eyed the earrings. "You put a _lot _of thought into those, didn't you?"

"I put a lot of thought into everything I do with Yui! I don't want to make any mistakes!"

"At least you _have _a girlfriend to think about," he sighed. Then an idea shot to his head. "You _did _put a lot of thought into those, didn't you? They practically belong to her already and she just doesn't know it yet!"

"Uh… yeah?"

"This might work!"

* * *

Miaka knew who Mayo was right away, and she sensed Suzaku's presence so keenly that the air in the room felt heavy. "Hello," she said meekly.

Unexpectedly, Mayo gently smiled. "It's about time. Suzaku is stronger now. It took some effort to unseal himself."

"Yes, I could tell."

"So you really hoped you could disappear and be done with it, huh?" she asked. Miaka said nothing, and Mayo sighed. "I thought the same thing too, only I was hoping for something better to replace it all. Sometimes a fantasy sucks more than reality, though. I don't really care anymore."

"Don't say that. You should go back to Japan, to your family."

She rolled her eyes. "You're one to talk. Konan seemed so wonderful while I was back there. The people, the drama, the attention, the magic. Being the Priestess of Suzaku looked like the most excitement one girl could ever dream of having. Anything looked better than staying home, and going to school, and pretending to get along with the people around me. But now that I've been here, I guess it wasn't that bad after all. The Tokyo I see when I close my eyes is just as wonderful as I imagined Konan—it just doesn't need me there. It will go on just fine without me."

"Please don't say that."

"But this world is different. This world really does require a single person to set its destiny on course," she looked back to Miaka, and then put a hand to her abdomen. "Even someone like me was needed here. I could make a difference! This story is only moving again because of me. I'm content." Miaka didn't look her in the eyes, but Mayo looked intently at her. "But I can't end it. You're the Priestess, and you need to play your role. I've brought Suzaku back to you. _You_ need to summon him forth."

"What's wrong with Chiriko, anyway?" she ignored her and stepped back into the other room. "Shouldn't he have woken up by now? He's beaten Miboshi before."

Removing his mask. Chichiri explained what Juan had described to him earlier. "I think he may have been trying to ensure that nothing would be left of Miboshi this time. The form his consciousness took had likely become distorted after an unnaturally long life, and Chiriko had probably pinned him there to make sure his life force would dissipate away. Since he had fought with him before, he knew how to restrain him."

"That's good," smiled Boushin. "Then he won!"

"He was falling back on what he had tried to do before."

A silence fell over them, but only briefly. "What, take himself down with him?" Tasuki exploded. "What's the point in _that_, huh? Chiriko, you idiot!"

"I don't understand," Boushin looked at him with wide eyes. "He tried to kill himself before."

"That's exactly what he's doing again! Damn it! It still counts if you're doing it to yourself on the inside! What was the point of doing this all again? Huh? Idiot!" he screamed to the body lying on the bed. "Damn—"

"Who gave you permission to die, Chiriko?"

Tasuki stopped at the sound of a second voice, and he looked down to see Boushin approach the bed. "You can't even come back as a ghost if you do it this way!" he shouted. "Stop it and wake up this instant! Stop it! I… I always _knew _you were stupid! Wake up! Wake…"

Seeing no response, he felt his face go pale. His hands shook as he raised one over Chiriko's head to slap him, but he gave way to tears and turned to bury his face in his mother's gown, sobbing.


	20. An Earring

Miaka stood in place and quivered. "Chichiri," she reached out and touched his arm. "There's got to be some way to help him, right? You said he used his scroll in his inner space to help Juan, right? So you can just put a talisman in there to help him!"

"Given enough time I might be able to reach him with my life force, but…"

"But what?" she took to shaking him. "Would it do any good or not? Say it!"

"Even if I found him…"

"Then we just sit here and wait for him to die from the inside out?" she flushed red. "We don't need to run off anywhere this time. He's still there, there's still time. You have your powers back, think of something!"

"That doesn't mean I can do the impossible, Miaka!"

"When did you become so hopeless, Chichiri!"

"If you want to help so much, then why can't you just summon Suzaku?" snapped Tasuki.

* * *

The sea was quiet.

Without a wind to push their sails, the boat Yui and Kaika took was slow and tedious. It gave her plenty of time to think about how ironic it was that she was on the same see in another boat, headed in the opposite direction and with the other twin. She could almost laugh out loud with pity for Suboshi and poorly his plans had gone.

Plans. Those were the last things she wanted to be part of now. Fate might have handed her a role to play, but now she was going to play it as she chose and write the book as she in dictated.

Kaika yawned. "The sea sure does drag on."

"You'll survive it. You have before."

"Oh."

"You probably don't want to know why, do you?"

"I'm curious, but I don't know how much I really should know. It was for good reason that I forgot, right? Still, knowing that I left my brother behind makes me anxious. It makes me want to know more about the place we grew up together, and how his life is now."

"Does the name 'Nakago' mean anything to you?"

"…Nakago?"

"It's the celestial name of the current emperor of Kutou. He won rule in a coup after staging a war against Konan. It's anyone's guess why he stopped when he did."

"Then he knows who I am too, doesn't he?"

"Correct. I don't think you need to worry about him coming after you in Sairou, though. I would be his only concern at this point." _Me, and who I'm still coupled with._ "You look tired. Why don't you get some sleep? We might not even hit shore tomorrow."

Her chaperone dozed, and Yui was free to contemplate silently again. Strangely, she hadn't been very homesick until this point. Poor Tetsuya was probably still waiting for her. "I'm sorry," she breathed.

_Yui!_

With a gasp, she looked around. The voice had to have been her imagination, she decided. It simply meant that she missed him.

_Yui, please tell me you can hear me!_

The voice didn't sound like it was inside her head—it was more like a whisper in her ear. "Tetsuya?"

_It's me. I'm so glad you're safe._

"Tetsuya!" she looked skyward. "I'm sorry, I'm…"

_Back in the book, I know. Are they taking good care of you in Sairou?_

"Actually, I'm on my way to Kutou."

_Kutou!? The book didn't say anything about that! Did Nakago kidnap you?_

"No, but any longer and I'm sure he'd mean to. I can feel him, Tetsuya. That means he can feel me, too."

_Yui, you're running yourself right into danger! He'll get you!_

"No! I'm not going to let this go according to Nakago's whims anymore. I think I can do it this time, Tetsuya. I think I can be the priestess I never was."

* * *

While the others had left the room to cool their heads, Boushin stayed at his counselor's side. Juan approached with silent steps. "Uncle Chiriko is still fighting right now, isn't he?"

"That's what I think, too," he frowned. "I can't save him like he saved me."

"I don't… I don't think he'd want us to try."

Boushin returned a weak nod. "I wish I really was a Suzaku warrior, Juan. I can't do anything. I still need to rely on people like Chiriko for everything."

"Maybe Suzaku warriors just wish they could be like you sometimes too, Boushin." When Boushin looked back curiously, he elaborated. "Uncle Chiriko and the others are all Suzaku warriors, aren't they? I figured it out. Uncle Chichiri told me that Uncle Chiriko saved me so that I could live a long life. Maybe that's all they want for you, too."

He frowned as his glance fell back down to Chiriko. "It's simply easier for everyone if I live a long life and have lots of heirs."

Feeling awkward that he wasn't able to cheer his friend up and not confident enough to say any more, Juan went to the bedroom to keep himself busy taking care of Mayo. She had been holding her tongue while Miaka and Houki were untalkative, but let it loose while the boy was rubbing her shoulders.

"Thank you, Juan, that feels nice. Ah, it's good to have Mitsukake here."

"Oh. I'm not… that's just a game Boushin and I play."

"Oh, then I guess Mitsukake's not here anymore. He couldn't be bothered to wait around for Suzaku to be summoned."

"Don't talk that way about Mitsukake!" Miaka turned from the window and snapped. "He had something more important to him than fulfilling some ancient legend!"

"Nevermind that your other warriors would wait around forever."

"That's not true," she pursed her lips and turned away.

"Oh? You seem upset that they wouldn't."

"They shouldn't. I only want them to be happy."

"Of course you do. I'm sure they were happy to die for you."

"There's no reason for any of that."

"You know what the nice thing about that is? They'll never really be far. They'll keep coming back and coming back until their destiny is fulfilled. They can't rest until it is. Even if you really did die, maybe you'd just have to be reborn, too. Ha, or not!"

"Come on, Juan," Miaka abruptly tugged him away from her. "You don't need to listen to this."

Outside, Miaka kept to herself as she leaned the little hut of a house and faced the graves of Tamahome and his family. She felt her spirit sink even further and would have plunged into ruminations had Tasuki not approached her. "Hey."

"Oh. It's you, Tasuki."

"I'm… sorry 'bout what I said back there."

"You were just upset."

"And what I said on the way here, even though I meant all that."

"Then don't bring it up."

"Look, we're all touchy here, Miaka. But there's somethin' I wanna know. Do you have somethin' against Suzaku ever being summoned? Don't you think it's weird that, now that we finally might be able to, we're just… not?"

"We already decided we didn't need Suzaku, right?"

"You're the one who decided that."

"Hotohori said it, too! Right before the war began! "

"Well, we just couldn't try anymore in that kind of situation. But if we can do something right now, nobody gets hurt! But if we wait too long, everything's gonna move on without us. You saw that Yui's here, and you know that can't be good news."

"Yui's safe."

"I wouldn't trust that. I'll bet she's meetin' up with Nakago right now. I mean, how many times did ya' get played by that girl?"

"You're really getting on my nerves, Tasuki! I know you're worried, but why do you have to take it all out on me? I don't want to talk about it. The others aren't here now anyway. Soon it'll only be you and me and Chichiri."

"What? Tamahome's long gone now?"

"Tamahome is dead, but he's never been gone!" she pointed to his grave. "And you know what he is to me. You know what that means about summoning Suzaku. That means it's not even worth trying, so just save your breath."

"You know," he eyed her, "Mayo seems to know something. Maybe that rule wasn't important in the first place."

"Leave me alone, Tasuki," she flinched and took a few quick steps away from him to crouch in front on Tamahome's grave, as if he would defend her. She buried her face, but couldn't mask the sound of sniffles.

The bandit watched for a few moments and could not help but take some pity. "Fine. I'll leave ya' alone for right now. I know you're worried too. But Chichiri and I have both already talked about it, and we think Mayo's worth listenin' to, even if she _is _crazy. The only thing I know is that Suzaku is already here."

* * *

With a little bump against the dock, Yui and Kaika had arrived in Kutou. Yui was in an especially bright mood, having gotten to speak with Tetsuya openly while Kaika slept.

_I'll keep an eye on things from here, but I can't hear you unless you call out. Keep yourself safe—I trust you, Yui._

The words ringing through her head made her feel warm.

"You sure seem pleased to be back here," Kaika noticed her smile. "Did you miss it?"

"While I can't say it ever felt like home, it's good to be back to tie up lose ends," she said. "Thank you for taking me this far. It might be better for you to go back now."

"I'll tie up lose ends too. After all, you're my priestess."

Yui flushed as he stared directly at her. Not having spent much time with him before it was easy to look at him as a safer version of Suboshi, but he had his moments when the similarities were too striking. "If you insist," she replied. "Though I intend to go straight to Nakago instead of having him find me."

"And where Nakago is, my brother must be, too."

"Do you still think of him as your brother?"

"I'm sure it's not quite like I used to, but I still feel a tie to him. I feel like I can't abandon him again. The thought of Kouei and Shuuei someday having to endure separation makes me ache for them, even though I don't feel it myself."

"To be honest, I was happy to abandon Suboshi. And I'm not back here for him."

"Come again? I couldn't imagine that you hated him."

"I didn't hate him. But I didn't love him, either."

"Then he really is alone."

"Yes. Perhaps that always was his fate."

"Oh," he changed tones. "I never noticed your earring."

"Earring?" she asked and immediately put a hand to her ear. With a startled scream she pulled her hand away from it. _Nakago's earring? I threw that away!_

"Yui? Are you alright?"

She hurriedly unfastened it to throw it on the ground, but Kaika caught her wrist. "What are you doing? Is there something wrong?"

"This! It's—" she started and looked up at it in her hand. The light reflecting through it caught her by surprise. "No. This isn't… but how…"

_Yui!_

Tetsuya's voice flashed back through her mind, and she thought the better of dropping it. "It's nothing. I was just surprised to find it there, that's all," she cooly said and put it back in place. "Maybe Miaka slipped it there while I was sleeping."

"It seems like the kind of thing she'd do," he smiled and agreed. "Do you remember your way around here? This city seems so crowded."

"More or less," she said as she walked confidently in front of him. "The ways of the streets don't change much, just the people filling them. The only important thing is to figure out the way to the palace, not necessarily our way around—ah!"

Yui stopped abruptly in front of an alley where a few men were standing and telling jokes. Shaking, she took several steps backward and reached out for Kaika's arm. "Yui! Yui, are you alright? What is it now?"

At a loss for words for a few moments, Yui couldn't even initially recall why she had recoiled. "I… I'm not very comfortable finding my way around here after all."

"You're so pale! Do you need to find a place to lie down?"

"No! No… just stay close to me. Don't let me get separated."

He was bothered by her sudden change in disposition. "We don't need to go anywhere if you're not ready."

"I'm alright! I'm alright, I'm just afraid we stick out like this in Sairou garb. Let's find a safe place to exchange our clothing."

"You're afraid," he looked back at her intently. Not wanting to be seen through, she looked away. "I'm sorry that I don't even remember what my power might have been to protect you, but I will stay with you and make sure nothing happens."

"Thank you. That's already more than enough. Did you bring your flute?"

"My flute? Yes, I did happen to bring it."

"That's right, I heard you playing it on the boat. Just keep it with you."

"It's only a flute, Yui. What will I need it for?"

"Hopefully for nothing. But be prepared if you need it to escape."

"Alone, you mean?"

"You could take Suboshi if you want. After all, a part of you came here searching for him, right?"

* * *

"Tighter formation!" bellowed the general. Riding his horse among aisles of soldiers, he spotted one whose posture displeased him, and he whipped the man, also catching the cheek of the soldier standing next to him. "I will not tolerate such sloppiness."

Sleepless for two nights, Suboshi was taking his frustrations out on his troops, and none dared to note that his own responses were sloppy.

_First Seiryuu, and now Suzaku? _ Suboshi inwardly growled. _To hell with all these gods and their sacrifices. I'd like to follow Nakago to Lady Yui's world just to demolish their whole screwed up arrangement!_

Still, he couldn't help but acknowledge that he was only able to meet Yui due to their being warrior and priestess. If only those roles could end—if only his current role as an underling to Nakago could just end, he could go start a new life with Yui, now that she had finally returned. So long as Nakago—and however many of the Seiryuu warriors might have been left that he didn't know about—was still in his way, there would be no ending.

_This all should just hurry up and come to an end. _

He mentally scoffed off the idea of suicide (or more homicide) to solve his problems, blaming it on his unhealthy state of mind, starved of sleep. That was why when he had the inkling that he sensed Yui and his brother that he blamed it on his own craziness.

_If they could hear me and they were here, what would I tell them? _he mused. Pulling down his sleeve to reveal the skin on his forearm, he traced words into it.

_Don't come. Not yet. It will end._


	21. Holy Water

Boushin cradled his head in his arms, slouching over the bed. He hadn't bothered to move much in the past several hours, but Chiriko was still beating him in stillness.

_Is it these kinds of battles that make you a Suzaku warrior, Chiriko? _he asked him inside his head. _You never wanted to talk about this with me. _

He was admittedly hopeful for a response, but unsurprised when one didn't come. With a sigh, he sat back up in the chair to watch attentively.

"I'm sure he'd be pleased to know you stayed with him_."_

Boushin heard a voice next to his ear, and turned to see Hotohori's figure there in ghostly form. "Father," he addressed him, as if this were a completely normal occurrence.

"I've come to claim my sword back," he replied. "I lent it to Chiriko to rescue little Juan, but I didn't expect him to hold onto it for so long."

"He used your sword?"

"His paper wasn't sharp enough alone," he smiled, and Boushin couldn't be certain if he was joking. "The monster is no more now. He doesn't need it any longer." Hotohori floated above the bed, and laying a hand over Chiriko's heart, he motioned for Boushin to do the same. As they slowly drew their hands upward, a sword began to appear underneath, emanating a dazzling red light which illuminated the entire house.

* * *

"What is that?" Kaika sounded clearly astonished.

Yui gave him an odd look. "Are you _that _unfamiliar with Kutou styles of clothing?"

"No, look!" he showed her his arm. "There's writing!"

"Suboshi!" she grabbed it to get a better look. Her eyes scanned the markings, trying to make sense of it. "Is he crazy?" she asked aloud, and then pulled Kaika's sleeve down on his other arm.

"What are you doing?"

"Hold still!" she shushed him, and traced with her finger: _What will end?_

They waited a moment, and Kaika felt an itch on the back of his left hand. He turned it over and they read.

_This world._

"He really has gone mad!"

"_This _is what's _mad_!" Kaika shouted and held up his arms. "What is going on here?"

"Tetsuya!" she stood and shouted to the air.

_Yes, my sweet?_

She broke into an embarrassed smile. "Not right now, would you?"

_What's going on?_

"Can you tell me what's going on with Suboshi?"

_No, the book has only been following Miaka and the Suzaku warriors. It looks like this was still her story to begin with._

"Then I'm just an extra. So be it," she rolled her eyes. "Can you tell me anything about the end of this world?"

_Well, flipping to the end of the book doesn't really help much. Why? What's going on?_

"Suboshi is raving about it."

_Then you're with Suboshi?_

"No! But I'm with Amiboshi."

_Oh, close enough then. Let me see what I can find. I still have all my ancient mythology research books here from the club at the university. _

"Yes, do that."

_See? I told you they'd be useful someday. _

Kaika stared with uncertainly, thinking that she was quite possibly the one going mad if anyone was.

* * *

The light caught everyone else's attention. Miaka was the first to peer in from the window, and gasped when she recognized the form above the bed. She breathed his name, then dashed in as fast as her feet would take her. "Hotohori!"

Juan, Tasuki and Chichiri weren't far behind her. The light was hard to look at even as it was receding, but the sword in Boushin's hands and the ghost nearby were unmistakable. "Hotohori, it really is you!" Miaka broke into a wide smile.

"It is," he flashed her a grin.

"Where have you been all this time?" she begged him. "I've missed you so much…"

Houki also peered in from the bedroom, and was able to see the ghost right away. She tried to call out, but found herself fainting, with flustered Juan barely able to catch her before she hit the floor. Boushin was quick to ignore his father and rush to her side and Juan's relief.

"Yeah, you just left us!" chimed in Tasuki. "You've left such a hole behind in everyone!"

"I never left," he looked annoyed. "You're the ones who gave up hope and were unable to see me."

"Then, you were here?" Chichiri asked, trying to wrap his brain around it. "This entire time, in this kind of manifestation?"

"It's strange to hear you so surprised by it, Chichiri. You were usually the one causing surprises," he laughed. "It's a relief that you're finally aware of my presence. Merely watching for all these years had been terribly irritating. There were so many times when I wanted to tell you all that you were taking things the wrong way."

"I don't understand, Hotohori."

"There was never any need to seal Suzaku away within your own hearts," he approached eye level with Miaka, then looked to his fellow warriors. "Now that he's gained more of his strength I can appear to you of my own will. I hope you won't find my rejoining you now too strange."

"No! No, you're welcome," Miaka wiped away a happy tear. "But why did you stay? You could have started a new life."

"The things that were most important to me were still here in this life. I wanted to meet my son," he said with a glance over to Boushin, "and I couldn't bear to leave without knowing my loved ones were cared for. Even had I moved on, some things would not disappear. Isn't that right, Juan?"

All glances turned to the boy, who blushed at his name and said nothing. Hotohori extended a hand to invite him over, which he reluctantly obeyed. Juan stood before him, completely unsure of himself. The ghost squatted to look up into his face, with a glance that was both sympathetic and expectant. "Would you like to help Chiriko?"

He nodded. "I do, but I can't…"

"You're the only one who can. Chiriko outlasted the monster, but he was only a little stronger. He's weak, but you can revive him."

"I don't know how."

Chichiri entered the bedroom then returned with a small, carefully wrapped parcel, which he handed to Juan. "This belongs to you. I was taking care of it."

Curiously, he unwrapped it, finding a jar of water. He looked back at Chichiri, then back at Hotohori with confused glances.

"It's very special water. Maybe you should give Chiriko a drink of it," he suggested.

Juan, unsure of what else to do, carefully cradled Chiriko's head to pour some of the water in his mouth and hoped beyond anything that he ever knew that somehow, this would help him. As if responding to that wish, the hand he held the water in began to glow. Before he could even let out a gasp, Chiriko winced. Opening his eyes slightly, he peered groggily at Juan, whispering, "Mitsu… kake?"

Everyone who had crowded around cheered with relief. Juan tensed as it felt strangely familiar; the sight and sounds melted with scenes he couldn't recall experiencing.

Boushin, still sitting in the doorway with his mother, couldn't see clearly what was going on. "He's alive?"

"Yeah!" Tasuki flashed a fanged smile back to them, then turned back to Chiriko to welcome him back to the world of the animated. "You nearly had us there, you—hey!" he shouted, seeing as Chiriko already closed his eyes again—sleeping. "Already checked out again?"

"He's probably exhausted, you know? But he'll be alright now!"

"I'm so glad…!" Miaka choked back tears of joy. Overwhelmed and taking a few steps backward from the scene, she sighed happily. It was good to hear Hotohori's voice again. It was as if her recently shaken heart was being quieted. She leaned against the wall and listened as they piped down, only to notice Mayo's voice—and another.

"There you are!"

"Where have you been?"

"Excuse me? You're the one who took off while I was busy."

"What took you so long to find me? Days? Seriously?"

"You talk like being dead gives me supernatural powers."

"You _already _have supernatural powers."

"You're as sharp as ever."

"Nuriko?" Miaka stepped over Boushin and Houki to push into the room, where she saw a second ghost. Their gleeful reunion was immediate, though in her excitement Miaka quickly affirmed there was no physical form to embrace.

With everyone gathered back together, Chichiri had to ask, "Why is it that we're able to see you?"

"We were endowed with spiritual forms," explained Hotohori. "But without your willingness to see us, they were no use."

"What? Who says we wouldn't'a wanted t' see you guys!"

"I _did _see Nuriko!" insisted Miaka. "It was when we were attaining the first Shinzaho."

"Aw, I'm glad," he grinned to her. "And why wouldn't you see me after that?"

"Ah… well, I don't…."

"You were distracted, I know," he shrugged. "And then once Suzaku was sealed, it was even harder to manifest a form that would get your attention."

"But we all know by now that the situation has changed."

"It's good to see you again."

"But," the priestess frowned. "Where's Tamahome?"

Hotohori and Nuriko fell quiet. "All I can tell you is that he's not here right now, but we _have _seen him."

"I thought for sure he would have… he would have been right here…"

Chichiri rubbed her shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sure he would have been here, too. Maybe he had somewhere he needed to be, you know?"


	22. A Past Love

Yui found it strange that it was so difficult to find the correct route to the palace, but having spent most of her time within its walls or escorted to and from it, it was not so strange after all. Kaika found it odd. "It's been quite some time since you were here, wasn't it?"

"Yes, and truthfully, I never navigated this place much on my own. I wasn't quite as adventurous as Miaka."

"Even if you had, it wouldn't help much now. Even in my little neck of Sairou, we still hear about how fast the capital out here has grown. For the first time, people are packing up to move into the Kutou empire instead of flee from it!"

"It's not terrorizing anyone?"

"Well, there's something ruling over Konan, but I don't think they've waged any wars recently."

"Is that so?" she raised an eyebrow, but quickly lost interest. "We'll still find our way somehow."

"And we don't have to be in such a rush to march in front of the emperor."

"I'd rather find him before he finds me."

_You and me both, Yui._

She thought she heard something, but shook her head and moved on. From above the walls of winding alleys and shops, Tamahome watched her and sighed. Leaving her to Kaika's care, he headed straight for the palace—a route he knew well, though his spiritual form didn't require him to use it.

He had followed Miaka and Chichiri to Sairou, but after hearing about the change of conditions, he decided someone needed to go to Kutou. Seeing Yui there caught his attention, but tailing her a while didn't set him much off course of his real target.

Floating through the palace, he spotted Suboshi first. He was in his private quarters, apparently having stomach trouble. His condition was stress induced; it had recently become clear what Nakago's machinations were. Not paying him much mind or pity, Tamahome went on until he found himself at the shrine of Seiryuu. With a shock to his spiritual form, he was repelled. Whatever was going on, Nakago had taken measures to ensure that he would not find out.

* * *

The excitement of the group had subsided with Miaka's mood, but she was still happy to be reunited. Nuriko took advantage of that. "Say, Miaka," he gave her a sassy smile. "I know your secret."

She blushed, and quickly took that as an indication that they should talk in private. Following him outside, she frowned. "I'm sorry, Nuriko."

"I've already lectured Tamahome enough, I've got nothing left to say to you about it," Nuriko shrugged, but still looked like he had it in him to tease her. "Since you _are_ still perfectly qualified to be the Priestess of Suzaku..."

"I can't do it, Nuriko. I don't want anyone else to get hurt!"

"Then I guess you didn't need me to get you to that shinzaho then, did you?"

"We don't even have the shinzaho anymore, so it's no use."

"No use, Miaka? Suzaku broke free of his own imprisonment. With Mayo here, you can do the impossible!"

"No one asked her to come."

"Yes, but how is she going to get back?" he frowned. "Reviving Suzaku has sapped her of her strength. I'm afraid she's going to become a sacrifice at this rate."

"And summoning Suzaku would save her?"

"Waiting too long would kill her, that's what I'm most sure of. Come on, Miaka. You've had time to heal. We need to revive the priestess you once were, too."

"I want to talk to Tamahome first. That was a decision we made together to keep everyone from getting distracted."

"So I heard. And don't be so worried about Tamahome—I'm sure he's just tied up with something. And besides, what's the worst that could happen to him? He's already dead!"

Nuriko's humor didn't help the situation, and Miaka whimpered herself into tears. "I just want to see him again," she cried. "I miss him so much."

"I'm sorry, Miaka. I'll go find him, alright? I've already got a guess where he is anyway."

"You do? Where?"

"Have you forgotten who always played our little spy?"

* * *

"Well, dinner is served," announced Tasuki. He and Boushin sat down to the fish that everyone else had forgotten about.

"Thank you for the food. Did Mayo not want any?"

"Naw', she said it smelled gross. And everyone else is outside… or asleep." They shared an amused glance at Chiriko, who was snoring. "And your mother?"

"When she woke up, my father invited her out to speak with him."

"And Chichiri and Juan apparently didn't want the fish they caught, either. Hmm. You think there's somethin' we should know about these?"

"I wonder…"

"Well, I'll be your poison checker, then!"

"Please leave some for me!"

* * *

Little did they know two of the warriors were not even present anymore. "Chichiri," the boy had said in a low voice. "I'd like you to take me to see Shouka."

He gave him an inquisitive look-something was off. "Alright. Did something happen when you left her?"

"Yes. I'm fairly certain she was harmed when I was taken. I'd like to hurry back to her this time."

"…_This_ time?"

"Yes," he had a faint, wry smile. "Some of my memories have returned to me. They're mixed with everything else, but I think I understand most of them."

"Welcome back, Mitsukake. Do you want to say anything to the others? They'd be pretty excited, you know."

"No. Let's be quick. Perhaps we could be back before anyone notices."

"If that's what you want."

It was already late into the evening, and Juan's secluded village was near silent. No one noticed them enter Shouka's room, where she lied bandaged. While no memories from that day had returned to him, Juan felt certain that she had witnessed him possessed. With his powers back, healing her injuries would be simple, but what concerned him most was the wound he might had left on her heart.

As he used his powers, she woke up to the sight of the light, and then looked back into his face. "Juan," she said softly, wrinkling her face up to cry. "Where did you go?"

"I'm sorry for leaving you," he said, holding her hand.

She lightly shook her head. "That wasn't you that day. You're just the one who didn't come back."

He grimaced. "You're right."

"Everyone's been so worried about you. I couldn't tell them what happened."

"I have to go back to Auntie Miaka for right now, but I _will _come back to you."

"Juan, don't go!" she reached out as he stood away from her bedside, and backed towards Chichiri. "Juan!"

In an instant, he had disappeared.

Rather than returning to Tamahome's village right away, they stayed outside in the trees, listening to the raucous inside the house as Shouka's parents attended to her at the sound her cries, over and over for Juan.

"You made it back in time for her, you know?" said Chichiri. "She'll still be waiting for you."

He nodded.

"Is that something you recall?"

"Even if they haven't come to mind, I'm sure all my memories are still inside of me," he replied. "I'm still the person I am now, as well as the person I was then."

Comforting though it was to hear words from an old friend, something didn't seem right about them coming a child's mouth. "You look wiped out, you know? Let's head back."

* * *

"You know," Yui mused aloud, "I don't think Suboshi knows we're here yet. Give me your arm again."

Kaika sighed, and extended it to her. At least this strange ability made him useful. Yui traced: _Where are you right now?_

A few moments later, words appeared on his other arm: _Is that really you?_

_Yes, it's Yui. Kaika is with me. We're in the Kutou capital._

They waited a few minutes for a reply, but instead of feeling an itch on his arms, Kaika clenched his chest in pain. "Kaika! What's the matter?"

"He doesn't want us to come. He just wants us to leave. He's scared, Yui."

She frowned. "Let's find someplace safe to spend the night."

At the inn, Kaika slept roughly, and Yui stayed awake despite being more starved of sleep than he. _Maybe I could talk to Tetsuya again_ now, she thought. While considering what to say, another voice caught her attention instead.

"It's strange to see you back here, Yui."

She was certain she recognized it, and turned on her heels to see Tamahome's figure illuminating the room. "Tamahome! But… you died!"

"Yeah, I did. No faked death here," he rolled his eyes. "I'm relieved you've already talked with Miaka."

"Have you appeared like this to her, too?"

"Without Suzaku's power, no. And since he's come back, I've been out here. Nakago's already moving."

"That's what I thought," she replied. "What is he doing?"

"That's the thing—I don't know! He's locked himself in the shrine of Seiryuu so I can't enter. Whatever it is, you can bet is has to do with you. Don't deliver yourself to him."

"Hiding from him won't work, you should know that. I'll be at more of an advantage if I know what he's doing. In any case, I won't be cooperating."

Tamahome eyed her for a moment. "You've changed, Yui."

"There would have been no point in coming back if I hadn't. This time I can be smarter and more aware of who I should trust. Even Miaka had me fooled all these years—it's even hard to trust her completely now."

"She still cares about you."

"I know," she smiled. "And she still cares about you, too. But where have you been for her all this time, I wonder? It's funny that you would show yourself to me first."

His glance fell. "I still love Miaka more than anything else I ever had in life. Time hasn't moved on for me since I was killed. I'll still do what will make her happy. And now that you're here, that means taking care of you."

Yui gave him a wry smile. "Maybe I'll take you up on that this time. We'll see."

"What, you're rejecting me now?"

"You just said you can't do anything against Nakago right now, didn't you? And in any case, you can't touch him-not now that Kutou is finally stable. Suboshi must know what Nakago is up to, so I'll push him to tell me."

"And? What am I supposed to do?"

"If Nakago knows you're here, he'll move faster. You should just go back to Konan and encourage Miaka to summon Suzaku."

"You really _are _rejecting my help!" he protested, but then sighed in resignation. "You've changed a lot, and I'm happy for you. But for Miaka's sake—and your own—please be careful."

Once he left her, she looked skyward, wondering what she should ask Tetsuya. It had been several hours for her since she had last spoke to him, but if he was reading the Universe of the Four Gods, he might have only started searching moments ago. As much as she wanted to hear him again, perhaps, she contemplated, she should trust herself more too.

Based on Suboshi's ravings earlier, Nakago's concern didn't seem limited to control over Kutou and Konan. She thought back—back to what she had last heard from Nakago about his own wishes.

_Yui,_ his voice ran back through her mind. _Make me a god._

With a jolt, her thoughts returned to the present, and she felt a heaviness in her chest—as if the very thought of wishes was enough to rouse Seiryuu within her. She consciously begged him to remain calm, as the matter of her final wish was something she did not yet dare to determine. _Be patient a little longer_, she told him. _We'll be free of our ties soon enough._

Perhaps Yui could request an audience with Nakago under political guise to slowly gage what his true intentions were. Any indication, however, would help—and for that she would have to rely on Suboshi.


	23. A Counselor

Mayo breathed heavily as sweat poured down her forehead. "Mayo?" Nuriko whispered next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"What did Miaka say?" she asked in response. He shook his head with a sorry look. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"She'll come around, don't worry! Just hang on."

"Sure, she'll come around at the end of the world at this rate. Where is Tamahome?"

"I don't know, I just found you!"

"Tamahome will convince her. Go find him."

"Bossy, bossy. As you wish, Your Majesty."

"Yes?"

Nuriko spun around to see who appeared behind him. "Ah, Hotohori!"

"That's Hotohori?" Mayo sounded a bit more energized at the sight of him. "They weren't kidding…"

"I can only guess about what," he smiled to her as he moved forward. "I wanted to express my gratitude for your help in reviving Suzaku. We can finally take action thanks to you."

"Thank you," she beamed. It was good to feel needed, but a rush of dull pain took the joy out of the moment.

"Nuriko and I will find Tamahome. Please hold on a little longer."

* * *

In resignation, Kaika extended his right arm to Yui, who took a deep breath as she began to write: _What is Nakago doing? _

They waited a few moments, and a reply appeared: _He's waiting for you._

_What does he want?_

_Your last wish._

_I won't give it to him. _

_Why are you here?_

_To stop him._

_Go back. _

"He already knows I'm here, Suboshi!" she yelled, then started on the other arm.

_We can stop Nakago this time. Will you help me?_

They waited, but didn't see a response. Kaika furrowed his eyebrows as he looked up at her. "We could just ask for directions to the palace."

She shook her head. "If we have Suboshi on the inside, I want him to help us coordinate this first."

"He's scared, Yui!" he implored. "I don't know what Nakago is like, but he doesn't sound like someone to go up against. Whatever you're planning is making me nervous, too."

"I'm not planning anything yet. I need to know Nakago's plan first, and then I can adjust. In any case, this wish is mine to decide, and he cannot force me into using it."

"But if he already knows you're here, why doesn't he send someone to escort you? Maybe he already expects something like this…" he stopped as he felt a tingle on his arm again, and they looked.

_Yes._

Yui broke out into a smile and eagerly responded. _What does he want?_

_Your world._

"My—! How would he even…?" _Go tell him I'm coming. He should be prepared._

_I trust you, Yui._

By the time Yui and Kaika arrived later, the guards were lined up respectfully and maids bowed their heads and they marched past. The Priestess of Seiryuu had confident poise and took each step with purpose.

"Tetsuya," she had called out to him earlier before reaching this point. "Did you find out anything about the end of this world?"

_"Nothing definite."_

"Nakago wants our world."

_"What! What would he even know about our world? Does he know something about the end of the Universe of the Four Gods and does he want to escape here?"_

_That's what I need to find out_, she reminded herself as she rounded a corner on her way to the throne room. _Though it sounds more like he'd want to rule my world in addition to his own. _

Upon entering the room, she saw Suboshi attentively standing in his armor, and Nakago seated in regalia and a beaded crown, coolly anticipating her entrance. "Priestess of Seiryuu," he addressed her. "We welcome your return."

"The pleasure is all mine," she spoke back in a louder, clearer voice than she had ever used within those palace walls. "It seems we have much to discuss."

A banquet and more formalities followed, but no formal discussion. Yui was feeling Nakago out but he let on nothing. Otherwise, she was merely looking for a chance to speak in more depth with Suboshi about what he knew, but being overwhelmed with hospitality left no such opening. At least once she was rushed off to her bath, it gave her a few moments away from Nakago's likely prying ears.

"Tetsuya," she whispered.

_What's the matter, Yui? Did something happen?_

"I'm in the palace. I don't want anyone to hear me. I still haven't even gotten to talk to Suboshi."

_That's okay, I haven't found much else out, either—except I did dig out some old notes about the Hin tribe up to see if they had any prophecies or anything._

"And?"

_And? Well, nothing. Nothing yet! I just started reading—you have to realize, I just talked to you a minute ago!_

"I know."

_…Yui?_

"I'm alright," she wiped away a tear. "I miss you so much already."

Suboshi paced through the hall completely on edge. He was a military man now and couldn't enjoy the freedom to roam that he once had as a teen. Were his duties concluded for the day so he could meet with them? If not Yui, then surely his brother, who wasn't surrounded by so many attendants, right?

"Suboshi."

The voice behind him rattled through his ribs as he shuttered, and then he turned around with a bow. "Yes, Lord Nakago?"

"Now that Lady Yui has returned, we have her safety to consider."

"Yes, Lord Nakago."

"Miboshi will not be returning."

"What do you mean?"

"He's been erased by the Suzaku warriors. They will come here to take her."

"They wouldn't dare!" he bellowed. "What do they think they could accomplish by doing that now? It would be reason for us to invade their sorry country and start another war—and what could they even expect to do but be decimated?"

"You may upset Lady Yui with your voice raised like that, much less start rumors."

Suboshi was taken aback by the sternness in Nakago's voice, and quieted his own. "But… why would they interfere?"

"With Suzaku back within their grasp, they could be planning anything."

"They can't summon Suzaku!" he hissed. "Unsealed or not!"

"I don't intend to take that chance, nor do I plan on letting them come to disturb Lady Yui. Go and find them."

He pursed his lips, unsure whether he was angrier to leave Yui in Nakago's hands or that the Suzaku warriors would have the audacity to touch her.

"Leave at once, Suboshi."

* * *

Chiriko was unaware of the time passing as he slept, but when his body could take no more, his eyes fluttered open. The sunlight was warm on his face, and he could smell something cooking. Within a few moments, he deduced that he was somehow alive and well.

Turning his head slightly, he recognized the person preparing food, despite her plain attire. "Good morning, Houki."

"Good afternoon, Chiriko," she smiled.

"Have I missed much?"

She could only shake her head, though she couldn't even hide a smirk . "You're really one to talk."

Chiriko was left to wonder why she was in such a bright mood as he sat up and ate a bowl of rice and a few vegetables. For all he could tell, Mayo was eating in the next room over, and no one else was in the house until Boushin burst in through the front door.

"Mother, look! I caught my first fish!"

"Wonderful, my son. We can use it as a garnish."

"It's not _that _small, Moth—Chiriko!" he quickly switched his attention and bounded over to his bed. "You're finally awake!"

"How long was I asleep?"

"I didn't even expect you to wake up," he glowered.

He could only smile sheepishly. "Is Juan alright now?"

"He had a long day yesterday, so he's resting. But he's fine now! And Miboshi is gone now, right?"

"This time I'm certain of that. It's a relief that he will not bring harm to anyone ever again."

"And I'm sure you were fully content to go with him."

"Yes," he admitted. "It was the first time I had ever felt so sure my myself. I didn't have any fear," he stared off with a peaceful smile, only to be startled at the deepening glare the emperor was staring him down with. "H-Have I offended you?"

"So you were happy to disappear and excuse yourself from my service?"

The accusation made the blood drain from his face, shocked at himself for such an oversight. "Forgive me, Your Highness. That was rude of me."

"I will not permit you to leave your position in the cabinet so simply," he took a stern and direct tone. "You are expected to live a long life as my counselor, and counselor to my future successors. You are not allowed to do anything so drastic ever again."

He smiled uncontrollably. "Yes, Your Highness."

That smile irked him, as it seemed he could not tell he was in trouble. "What are you so happy about?"

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "I can't contain my joy. All this time, I thought Your Highness disliked me."

Boushin flushed red. "I've never said anything of the sort."

"Perhaps he heard you calling him stupid."

"Mother!" he barked, then turned back to Chiriko. "And please, you may continue to call me by my childhood name."

"I will not leave you again, Boushin," he beamed.

"That's good," he contently took a seat next to him and began eating his lunch. "After all, my father and Nuriko already left."

"They were here?"

"You saw my father, didn't you? And Nuriko was here too, and everyone could see and talk with them!"

"They could?" he had wide eyes. "And I missed it? How disappointing."

"I'm sure they'll come—"

They both quieted at the abrupt sound of Mayo's moans. Both of their moods dampened.

"She's gotten weaker," Boushin informed him. "She's asked Miaka to hurry and summon Suzaku, but…"

"Miaka's here—?" he was cut off by said priestess squealing his name and bounding in to give him a tight hug.

"You're alright!" she laughed. "You had us so worried, but you did it!"

"What are you doing here?" he laughed and hugged back. "It's so sudden!"

"This is my house, why shouldn't I be here? So much has happened since we last saw each other! Hotohori and Nuriko were here, and I got to see Houki again, and that's not all! Do you remember Xi Fang? And Yui! I got to see Yui again!"

"The Priestess of Seiryuu?" his face melted into a dumb look of shock. "I… I feel like I want to go back to sleep now."

"Chiriko!" she and Boushin whined back in unison.

"I had some notion of that given how the stars in the east had been moving recently, but it's a lot to process all at once," he defended himself. "And what is this I hear about summoning Suzaku? That's…" Miaka shrunk back and looked away, looking for some way to brush it off. "That's preposterous!" he finished. "Even if it were possible for someone like Mayo to become the priestess, that would necessitate searching for something like a shinzaho to use again. What's more, Kutou would consider any action of ours aggressive and use it as grounds for military intervention."

"That… that's apsolutely right," she agreed.

Boushin decided to save his breath this time.

* * *

Suboshi's absence was bothering Yui and Kaika. Kaika said nothing, and had a nagging chill in his arms, similar to the urges that would push him out of bed at night go play his flute. He occupied himself emptily by playing light tunes while he and Yui were left to wait for Nakago's attention, as he was busy attending to his usual imperial duties. The songs on the flute were meant to be a comfort for himself and for Yui, who he could tell was tense with all the waiting, but to anyone else listening the happy tunes almost seemed to serve as a warning for others to stay away.

Once they were finally invited to an evening banquet, Yui had nearly lost patience. "Why hasn't Suboshi been invited?"

"He has duties to attend to as general of the imperial army."

"As a Seiryuu warrior, shouldn't it be more pertinent that he be in attendance here?"

"That never mattered to you in the past, Lady Yui. Please be assured that I am here with you, as I always have been."

Her lips pearled into a scowl. "I would like Suboshi to be present when I use my final wish."

"There is no need to rush. Seiryuu has already waited this long, and he can continue to wait. You seem eager to force matters to progress."

Yui knew he could read what she wanted, and that he wasn't willing to budge in a game of mental chess. "Let's set the pretenses aside, Nakago. Please tell what it is you want me here for."

"I have no intention of taking your final wish from you. But before you use it, I will tell you what you wish to hear."

* * *

"Anything on your end?"

"Miaka's still flip-flopping about whether or not to summon Suzaku."

"Come on, Miaka, that's all you wanted years ago!"

"Don't tell my sister to get swallowed up by a giant bird just so that you can see a story progress," barked back Keisuke. "How about you? Are those old notes helping at all?"

"Well, just stuff about some Hin tribe practices. Idolatry and what not. Makes it kind of weird that one of them would be chosen to serve a beast god, especially when they weren't especially concerned about the Universe of the Four Gods."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at this," he sat next to him and pointed to some scribbled notes. "They were always more concerned with the occult and the heavens. Their goal was always to access the heavens instead of just call down gods from them."

"What's this?" Keisuke pointed to a smaller note with an arrow pointing to the paragraph: _Heavens = our world?_

"Oh, that? Just a passing thought I ha—a-a-a-ah!"

"Whoa, what's the matter, Tetsuya?"

"That might be it! Then it makes total sense if Nakago was saying something about our world! The Hin tribe probably knew all along that their world only existed inside of ours," he pointed to the book. "Then these rituals and sacrifices… they might have just been for the sake of communing with the writers of the book or something."

"Tetsuya," gulped Keisuke. "What does that mean Nakago is doing now? He couldn't really come here, could he? That'd be… that'd be terrifying. I mean, if no one from his tribe ever figured out how to come here, then… then he couldn't either, right?"

Tetsuya was silent for a moment as his thought.

"C-come on, man, you're making me nervous. Should I call the national defense force or what?"

"He has Yui!" he tore back to his notes and looked over whatever he had ever been able to gather about Hin rituals. "Maybe he just didn't know how to use her before—maybe he's figured it out now! I have to warn Yui!"

The color drained from his face. "What's going to happen to Yui?"

"Yui! Yui, listen to me! Save yourself!"

* * *

**Author Fangirling: **Hello readers, especially you new story watchers! I really appreciate you coming along for the ride. There may or may not be an update next week while I'm traveling, but I'll try! In the meantime, please remember to leave a review! ~Appa


	24. An Attack

**Author Fangirling: **I was a little stuck in the writing process right until this chapter, and then I had a breakthrough. Thus, one of my favorite confrontations in this whole fic was born. :D Still traveling, hopefully I'll have an update next week. Thanks for reading, and please review! ~Appa

* * *

Boushin had been in high spirits until his mother and counselor sat him down for a lecture that evening. "My son," she had a tense expression. "I had been holding my tongue in respect to the circumstances, but you have a responsibility to your country to take your seat at the throne."

"Not to mention, you're going to need to answer to your cabinet for your sudden disappearance."

"But we left a note," he struggled. "And mother, you didn't set a very good example for me to follow. Leaving with Mayo so unguarded was foolish."

"You are not old enough yet to tell me what is foolish, and I am not the leader of Konan. That is your role."

"I'm learning about Konan by being here. I can't leave before knowing if Miaka will agree to summon Suzaku or not!"

"We've already explained to you that it's not possible anymore."

"You're the only one who seems to believe that, Chiriko!" he yelled, startling Juan as he wondered in. Boushin was relieved to see him, and walked over to tug him back out the door. "Let's go, Juan."

"But," he glanced inside the room at Houki and Chiriko.

"Don't worry, we won't be going anywhere dangerous," he growled as he took off running with him.

"Boushin!" Houki called after him, and Chiriko stumbled across the room after him to the door, only to see him running up a hill to a thicket of trees to hide in.

He sighed, sarcastically thankful that there wouldn't be any wolves among those trees. He frowned back over his shoulder to Houki, who heaved an exasperated sigh. "Give him a head start before you go after him," she said. "He knows what he has to do, he just doesn't want to."

"You don't seem especially eager to go back yet either," he noted. "Were you able to speak with His Majesty?"

"Yes."

"What did he tell you?"

"You don't need to know words spoken between a husband and wife," she coyly smiled, making him blush.

* * *

Juan bit his lips and looked around aimlessly, waiting for Boushin to say something. He merely glared off into the distance, hugging his knees to himself and burying his chin behind them. "You know," he started, "my mother is probably angry with me, too."

"She'll probably never believe why you've been gone so long."

"No, but," he smiled, happy at the thought of returning. "I'm sure when she sees me again, she won't care why."

"Unless she blames Tasuki and doesn't let you play with him anymore."

"Uh oh, that wouldn't be good," he chuckled.

Boushin couldn't help but smile with him, as much as he was trying to fight a good mood. "How are you feeling, Juan? Since all these strange things have started happening?"

"Bewildered," his mood instantly sank.

Boushin laughed. "That's not surprising! I'm just glad you're alright now, and that Chiriko's alright, too! One way or another, I'll bet more good things are going to happen."

"Hey, Boushin," he asked in a low voice. "Do you think Miaka can summon Suzaku this time?"

"Of course she can! I'm sure of it!" he insisted. "Don't let it get you down! All that failure is in the past!"

"But she tried so hard before," his face wrinkled up like he would cry. "She tried so hard." His friend was at a loss for a response, and fumbled around with empty, comforting phrases in his head until Juan changed mood again. "Hey, who's that?"

Boushin put a finger to Juan's lips as he looked over his shoulder to see a cloaked figure leaping from tree to tree in near silence. As the figure descended down the hill towards the village, they gave each other a look and agreed to follow him.

* * *

Resigned to needing some help, Chiriko allowed Tasuki and Chichiri to tease him a bit before they would assist him in tracking down the emperor. "Doesn't take long to get on his bad side again, does it?" roared Tasuki. "Kids are a pain."

"Funny you'd know this, Tasuki. Maybe you're not telling us something, you know?"

"Shut your trap, Chichiri."

"I appreciate it," Chiriko hung his head. "It'll be easier to resolve matters with Mayo once His Highness is safe again."

"You mean Hotohori the Second? His sword handling really isn't bad for his age!"

"Are you implying we should let him continue to entertain his warrior fantasies?"

"Ha ha, no, but—look out!"

The three jumped away just in time to avoid being impaled by a spinning meteor ball. The ball just as swiftly returned to its weilder and floated in the air next to Suboshi, who threw his hood off when it was apparent that he had been noticed. "Nakago was right."

"S-Suboshi!?" yelled Tasuki. "What the hell are you doin' out here?"

"You tell me! If you're all gathered here, then you must be planning a revolt!"

"You're the one bein' aggressive out here!"

"Silence!" he bellowed and launched the second ball out with the first. The commotion summoned Miaka, who came running, inadvertently exposing her identity to the attacker. He froze for a moment, wide-eyed. "The Priestess of Suzaku. You're alive…"

"Suboshi, you shouldn't be here!" she yelled. "Didn't you want Yui to lay low to avoid causing any trouble again?"

He tensed, inwardly flaming with rage. "You won't lay a finger on her! Did you find her? Are you the reason she left?"

"I made her leave this world so she would be safe."

"Shut up!" he screamed. "You only wanted her out of the way so you could summon Suzaku! You came after her, I know it!"

"You already said you're only here because Nakago sent you. We have nothin' t' do with your priestess!" growled Tasuki. "Get out of Konan."

"Shut up, you worms!" he bellowed and shot his meteor balls with more speed. This startled Boushin into action, and he ran out of the bushes with his sword ready to strike. Had the others not screamed for him to stop, he might have managed to surprise Suboshi enough to get close to him. Instead, Suboshi dodged, and swung the cords of his meteor balls around to catch the blade of the sword, and Boushin was unable to wriggle it free. "What are you all trying to pull here? You'll never summon Suzaku, even if your warriors have come back from the dead!"

"Boushin, run!"

Getting rid of an easy target first, Suboshi aimed straight for Boushin, but Miaka's feet were faster than his arms. Cradling Boushin's head, she got to him just in time for the attack to rip through her back ribs. She shrieked and clenched him tighter.

"Mi… Miaka…?" His voice quivered as a coppery smell filled the air.

"Rekka Shien!"

* * *

Yui's gown swished around her ankles and she struggled to keep pace with Nakago as he strutted through the halls, directly to the shrine of Seiryuu. The swiftness made Kaika feel as though Yui was about to be slipped out of his hands, and it was almost as if he had to squeeze through the door before Nakago promptly closed it behind Yui. Maybe that was what it was like to be a ghost, he thought—present, but largely ignored.

On his guard, he remained silent and darted his glance between Nakago, Yui, and the dimly lit features of the shrine. The menacing statue of Seiryuu made him inwardly reel, and he thereafter fixed his attention on Nakago and Yui only.

"I hope you don't intend for me to use my wish as soon as you're finished here," she said, looking around to see how much of this place she had remembered. She had typically neglected this space before.

"Nothing of the sort. In fact, I would be happier if you never use that wish."

"Come again?"

"That is precisely what the makers of this world intended. That is the system they prescribed."

"Yeah, well, the writers were on some sort of crack. I should know, because I'm a part of this system just like you are."

He gave her a contemptuous glance, but didn't bother to say everything he was thinking. "It's true, you are meant to be a scapegoat. Sacrificed by your own world."

"Excuse me?" she retorted. "It's _this _world that has been the cause of so much of my suffering!"

"You had a difficult time here before," he lowered his voice. "Try as I did to protect you, you were still exposed to the war, hatred, and violence the people of this world harbor."

_You did nothing to protect me. _"You made me believe I had been raped."

"You speak as though what didn't happen to you was the worst injustice anyone could have suffered."

"It's true that it didn't happen, but you lied to me, and manipulated me, making me believe I had gone through that!"

"You're neglecting to acknowledge the thousands of women in this world subjected to that fate, with no need for anyone to lie to them about it. Rape is merely a weapon to be wielded."

"And you admit it!"

"It's not only used against women. It's been used against their children as well, thousands of times. Would you rather you or your own mother were to be subjected to torture?"

Yui was quiet for a moment, unwilling to imagine her mother being forced down against her will.

Nakago continued. "Neither, I'm sure. Consider yourself fortunate it only happened once, and that it wasn't even real."

"Don't try to pass blame onto me or tell me my pain isn't real," she forced back. "I'm lucky. I got to return to my world and leave the horrors of this one behind. I know that! I'm sure people have suffered more unimaginable fates here than I have."

At this, Nakago smiled. "You're correct. They're fates that people from your comfortable world do not want to think about, so you leave them here. And, just like the beast gods, the unfortunate people trapped here will be left to deal with all the dirt swept away from your world."

"What are you talking about, Nakago?"

"Lady Yui," he eyed her. "How did you come to this world?"

She shut her mouth and tensed, as if she had been caught inside of a whirling lie. Nakago looked around the shrine, stroking decorative items fixed there. "A crystal ball, perhaps? Or a mirror? I'm sure it was something you could look into and see this unfortunate world, a world that you could hold in merely your own two hands."

Kaika looked to Yui, who showed no signs being able to tell him he was wrong. Beyond fear, she looked guilty. Did Nakago's words have merit? Was the suffering of this world merely a cruel joke bestowed on them from higher powers? Were their lives so insignificant?

"After all, how else could people so similar be found in two worlds?" he went on. "You're no different from any of these young women in Kutou. Surely, two separate worlds would have no reason for bearing such similar creatures?"

To illustrate, Nakago revealed to her the shell in his hand, and the world it projected. She and Kaika gasped as buildings towered over hundreds of people and cars and shop fronts, a flow of constant dizzying sounds and sights.

"It's the kind of scene one could watch for hours, isn't it?" he asked. "So many humans, unstopping movement. Nothing interrupts their pace as they go from one task to another, living their lives as if they'll never end. They don't know pain or hunger or despair. But if you watch long enough, you'll notice this world is much like ours. Perhaps, at one point, they were linked. Or more likely, ours was born out of yours."

"That can't be true!" she protested. "Pain and hunger and despair exist in the world I'm from, too! You're only seeing a glimpse of it!"

"You're hiding that you know the relationship between our world and yours."

"That… that's not important. It's not what you think it is."

"Certainly, the people in your world must know what cruelty is. That is why they put it here. Our world was created as a way to rid your world of that which it did not want. The Four Gods were sealed away into this universe so that they would not terrorize your own."

"No! That's not true!"

"It's neat and systematized to keep it under control. This world exists solely for them to run their course. The people who populate this world are only here to bear the cruelty yours chose not to acknowledge."

"No!"

"That is why we've been burdened with war, hatred, genocide, and power."

"You're wrong! The world I'm from still has all those things! You can find them in any country all over the world!"

"Lady Yui," he stared straight through her. "Those are not things you know in _your _world. You might know what they are, but you do not understand them. They've never existed for you, except for in this world you can hold in your hands." Yui had no immediate response. Nakago looked back to the image he held of her world and continued. "We've taken your chaos."

"But… no, I never…"

"I don't blame you, Lady Yui. You've had the unfortunate fate of paying the price for everyone else in your world, coming here to play your role in this cosmic order they've dictated. You are the sacrifice they've chosen so that they can forget the suffering they've left here."

"I never wanted anyone to suffer," she shook her head.

"Is that so? Then what _did _you wish for your friend Miaka, when you wanted to separate her from Tamahome? Have you forgotten what you ordered me to do to her in the shrine of Seiryuu the day you betrayed her? Perhaps staying in this world awoke the violence that had been sleeping inside the innocent people of your world."

"No! That was all me! It had nothing to do with my world!"

"Your world. The heavens."

"The heavens?"

"I've always sworn revenge against the heavens for what they cast upon me. It's merely taken me this long to understand where that would take me."

"I don't understand."

"Like you, I'm cursed with a fate tied to Seiryuu, and fulfilling his role in this world. Even my powers that fate has given me have been a curse. The only thing left to curse is the world that gave me these powers. They will regret ever having granted them to me."

"You can't do that! That's ludacris!" she yelled. "What did my world ever have to do with you? Even if what you said is true, the people responsible for your world must have died hundreds of years ago! What good would revenge even do besides make _you _feel better?"

"Did the people of Kutou seem happy to you?"

"What?" she stopped.

"You spent time among them these past days. Did they seem happy? Peaceful? Well-fed?"

"Well, yes. Is that a problem?"

"That's exactly what I've worked to attain. I'd rid them of those who would incite violence and hatred among them, and encouraged civilty—much like your world. Common people can move from task to task without fear of war being thrust upon them, and being so concerned about their own private lives makes them ignore the ways of tribes they don't understand. With well distributed food, they have moved past a need for wide scale violence."

"But it can't be perfect—there must still be accidents and fires and disease, and even rape!"

"No, but unless it happens, they can pretend they don't exist. Does this sound familiar to you? I've raised Kutou to spite your world for what it deemed it could not have."

"Then what should you even have against us anymore?" she protested. "What's more, you don't even have a way to get to my world!"

At that instant, Kaika cried out and held himself. Startled, Yui turned and saw him grimacing and shaking. "Kaika, what's the matter?"

"It's my brother…"

"Suboshi?" she gasped, then turned back to Nakago sharply. "Where is he?"

"Konan."

"Konan! Why did you send him there?"

"He's seeing to it that this world does not meet its end."

"You're spouting nonsense!"

"You just wanted to get him out of your way," Kaika accused him through gritted teeth.

"You're not just a monster, Nakago," shouted Yui. "You're a madman! You just want to find someone to blame for your hardships. Maybe I'm no better. At least I know not to blame anyone who is not even involved!"

"You still condoned the war that happened here ten years ago."

"That's different! That war would have happened even without me and Miaka here. You would have incited it anyway. I won't let you incite anything in my world. I won't even let you get close to it! I can stop you with this wish!"

_Yui! Yui, listen to me! Save yourself!_

"Tetsuya?" she gasped under her breath.

"I do not need to ask for your cooperation, Lady Yui," he stepped towards her. "You were a great help to me in ridding Kutou of the evil that ruled over it before, but I no longer need Seiryuu. I only need you."

She started to shake and back away from him, and stopped when she hit a table and knocked it over. Flinching at the sound, she looked cautiously over her shoulder to the contents that had spilled to the ground. Candles, scrolls of a script she couldn't recognize, and rope. A slight scream escaped her.

_Yui, get out of there! Get out of Kutou now! Nakago wants to use you as a medium in a ritual to get to our world! Stop whatever you're doing and run!_

She darted past him looking for the way out, a door she couldn't even measure the distance to in the dim light. As he passed him, Nakago caught her outer robe, but she wriggled out of it and continued running until she hit the door. She pushed and pulled, but it wouldn't budge.

"I've waited this long already. I won't wait any longer."

"Don't touch me!" she screamed and beat at the door. There were no locks—Nakago had to have been holding it closed with his life force. She pushed and silently pleaded with the iron doors as Nakago's footsteps approached steadily from behind her.


	25. A Confession

At once, the footsteps stopped, and Yui noticed the sound of a flute. Cautiously, she looked over her shoulder and saw Nakago holding his head as Kaika played. He looked across the room at her, as if telling her to leave Nakago to him and go as fast as she could. She turned back to the door, which though still resonating with Nakago's life force, seemed more willing to give way. She pushed again, then again, then again, trying to break through.

The shrillness of the flute, enough to hold Nakago back, made her head feel as though it was splitting. Her screams couldn't drown it out, and Nakago's life force still beat back against her. _I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here,_ she repeated to herself. _I need to see Tetsuya and Keisuke again. I need to see Miaka again. I need to fulfill my role as the Priestess of Seiryuu!_

At last, the doors gave way and light flooded into the shrine. With a gasp of relief, she charged out, and as her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw two beautiful, faint forms floating in front of her.

"Good, you've made it out," one smiled. "We've been waiting out here."

"We'll cover you. Get to the road west of the palace."

She didn't question them and ran, darting past the confused maids and guards. As she ran, however, she realized that she could barely make sense of which way was up or down.

"This way," another voice floated next to her.

"Tamahome! You were still here."

"And now you'll accept my help. Turn left here. Don't worry about the guards, I'll handle them."

The guards made way like grass in a gust of wind. She made her way past them, and eventually out to the road. "Somebody!" she called out, gasping for breath. "Somebody, please stop!"

An innocent cart driver was caught by surprise as glowing red armlets appeared in front of him and dragged his horses to a stop. Taking advantage of the moment, Yui hopped on the pack of the cart. "Sorry. Please take me as close as you can to Konan."

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, ma'am."

The horses whinnied and trotted their way up to a gallop, taking off and leaving the palace smaller and smaller in the distance. Yui relaxed into the hay and wished she could faint and forget it all.

* * *

Boushin was pushed aside and watched in horror as the scene unfolded in front of him.

Tasuki helped Miaka sit on a stool in front of the table. She swayed unsteadily, color drained from her face and a trickle of blood come from her mouth. Chichiri pulled her dress loose to get a good look at the wound on her back, and as the fabric fell around her waist, Boushin got a full eyeful of the mangled scar spanning her chest. His stomach turned and he shook, not wanting to look at either her scar or her face, but not able to look away.

"Is… is Boushin alright?" she quietly gasped out.

"Ssh! Don't say anything, Miaka. He's fine."

"That's… good…"

"No, Miaka, this isn't good!" Tasuki snapped and turned his attention back to her injury with a worried look on his face. He and Chichiri prepared a towel and held against her firmly, and she cried out again in pain as the adults crowded around her. Between the whimpers and sobbing and yelling, Boushin could barely make out what was going on in front of him.

The room only quieted once Juan stepped forward to approach Miaka. The others backed away as he knelt down and held her pale hand. "Miaka," he said softly. "It'll be alright."

"Juan," she struggled to give him a smile.

"It's alright to call me Mitsukake if you'd like."

Boushin felt his face grow hot. That was not simply the boy who he played with and who pretended to use that name-at some point he had changed and Boushin wasn't the least bit aware of it.

"I'll heal you, Miaka, including the scar you've been carrying all this time."

"Mitsukake," she squeaked out. Despite her weakness, she sounded joyful. The room instantly filled with flickering light. The young woman closed her eyes and basked in the warmth, and and then slowly pulled her gown back over herself modestly—only after appreciating the smooth skin she hadn't seen there in ages. With a wide smile, she looked back to Juan, holding his hand, and pulling him to stand up to her eye level. "Thank you, Mitsukake. It's so good to see you again. You must be tired."

"I'm alright," he responded in a tone more like his old self than his current self. "It's good to see you again, too."

"I was so happy for you to see that you were born again. You must be so happy now. It must be everything you always wanted! A quiet village, a family, and even Shouka. I'm so sorry we let Miboshi find you and that you had to be dragged back into all of this."

"I've been very happy," he replied. "But that kind of happiness won't last."

She frowned, wide-eyed. "Mitsukake?"

"We've both tried running from Suzaku," he replied. "But until my duty as your warrior is served, I will always be a Suzaku warrior."

"But… all the fighting…"

"It will go on, Miaka," he directed her attention to the meteor balls Suboshi left behind when he fled. "I must keep fighting, too. I cannot rest in peace until we've fulfilled our destiny, and I'm afraid you won't be able to either."

Hanging her head, she sniffled and whimpered. Juan waited, then took both her hands in his own and crouched to look up into her face. "Miaka," he said. "Would you please summon Suzaku?"

Everyone watched and waited, unwilling to make a sound, listening to Miaka's sniffles. At last, she replied. "I'll do it."

The room exploded into jubilation or shock, whatever the case may have been. "But it's impossible!" shouted Chiriko, who had been crouched at her side during all the commotion. "You and Tamahome both told us all that you were no longer able to."

"That was a lie," she admitted, looking away in shame. "We didn't want everyone to carry false hope, especially once Suzaku was already sealed. It would have been a distraction during the war."

"What! You—if Tamahome were here, I'd sock 'im in the nose!"

"You never even told _me _anything like that, you know!"

"But that means she still can, _right_, Chichiri?"

"Yes! She can!"

"You lied to us?" Chiriko stared at her. "Even though there might have been some chance to summon Suzaku, you weren't going to let it happen? Do you know how much it hurt to hear that, Miaka? How much I wished it wasn't true? Why would you do something like that to us? We respected your wishes enough to go all these years without even telling anyone you were alive, and they were hurt by that, too. Couldn't you have trusted _us _enough not to lie to us? All this time… I…" he hiccupped on tears and gripped her sleeve.

He stopped trying to say anything as he melted into a crying fit, and Miaka continued to numbly look away. Tasuki, still overcome with emotion, wasn't sure how to react except with a smile. "This… this almost feels like old times. Right, Chichiri? We were always findin' somethin' to fret about. And Miaka! We should have expected somethin' like this from ya! You were always runnin' away and thinking that you'd help us that way. You were just makin' our jobs harder! Just listen to Mitsukake here, he's still havin' to come back and take care of ya! But… seriously! Chichiri, did you have any idea?"

"Me? Well, I had a guess…"

"Is this why you always turned me down, Miaka? Deep down inside, you've always been the one who wanted to summon Suzaku most!"

Chiriko continued sobbing.

"Why did you wait all this time to tell us, huh? Were you waitin' for Tama to give you the go-ahead? I'll bet you were always talkin' with him and Nuriko and His Highness when we weren't looking."

"I wasn't, Tasuki!"

"Leave her be, Tasuki!" Chichiri stepped between them. "She's already agreed to summon Suzaku, why do you need to give her more trouble?"

"What, she dupes us for ten years and I only get to be mad at her for two minutes? We've put our lives on hold this whole time. Something inside of us has always known that we still had a job to do and none of us could rest 'til it was done. Wouldn't it have been kinder to leave us with a little hope? Huh? I'll bet that's it!"

"What's _what,_ you know?"

"I'll bet Taiitsukun never abandoned us after all. We're the ones who abandoned her."

"Haha, trust me, Tasuki. If she still wanted us to summon Suzaku, she wouldn't have left us alone."

"Don't act like you know everything, _you know_," he shifted his attention to Chichiri. "You were probably the most hopeless out of all of us. If there was some way to summon Suzaku, you're the one who would'a known how. But how quick were you t' just give up and accept everything as it was and help Miaka run away?"

"She was dying!"

"She hasn't been dying this whole time! You helped her hide and ignore the past. You gave her a silly wax mask to put on her heart and smile and act like nothin' happened."

"If it makes you happy, then you should know we can't go on like this. What with that commotion with Suboshi, our neighbors had to have noticed. As we speak, they must be piecing together that we were involved with what happened here before. We'll need to leave again."

"Well… great! I'm happy, got it?"

"No one has taken this harder than Miaka, Tasuki. Without Tamahome, she's had to bear this secret by herself. She did it for our own good."

"If she wanted to do what was good for us, she'd have kept tryin'! Giving up is what's worse. What about _you_, Chichiri? Did you just want t' abandon Suzaku, too? Was this easier for you?"

"For a time, I only lived to summon Suzaku," he barked back. "Is it wrong that Miaka and I wanted to find other ways to live? For Konan, instead of just Suzaku?"

"That's just cheap justification."

"I…" Chiriko sobbed without looked up from where he had buried his face in Miaka's sleeve. "I've always dreamed of seeing Suzaku summoned…"

"You'll _never _be free of our destiny, Chichiri," Tasuki sneered. "If you want to put things behind you, then leave all this runnin' away aside, and take your _wife _to go have a life again. Take her as far as it takes. Go chase down Taiitsukun for all I care and let her slap that stupid smile off your face. I'm not hidin' any more. Not now that I have hope."

With that, Tasuki turned to get some fresh air and left the room quieter, except for the hysterical warrior. Chichiri and Miaka stared away at nothing; Houki kept her comments to herself as she watched the sorry group.

After a long period of silence, Juan looked back at Boushin with a mixed expression. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything." The boy could only frown awkwardly as Boushin didn't respond.

After several wordless moments and Chiriko's wails eventually piping down into periodic sniffles, Chichiri put a hand on Miaka's shoulder. "It's not your fault. Come on, Miaka. You should get some rest."

"I'm fine."

"No one is asking you to punish yourself, you know. Tasuki's right. Let's just think about what's ahead of us."

"You're mad too, Chichiri. I can tell."

"Not at you."

"If you want to say anything, then just say it to me."

"I'm not mad at you, Miaka! I'm just thinking about what we should do now."

"You go back to the palace, that's what!" Boushin spoke up. "You already said you can't stay here. You can regroup there, and we can take better care of Mayo there, and the shrine is there!"

"_Now _you're willing to return?" asked Houki in an annoyed tone.

"Of course. This is a matter of summoning Suzaku now, Mother. Father would be proud."

Miaka gave him a fearful look. "But—what about Tamahome—?"

"Make way, make way! Comin' through!" Tasuki kicked the door back open and rejoined them. To everyone's shock, he was carrying an exhausted young woman.

"Yui!" shouted Miaka, completely snapping out of her mood. "What are you doing here? What happened? Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm just tired. I've been on the run."

"On the run? From where?"

"Kutou…"

"What were you doing in Kutou, Yui?"

"And what were you doing here, Miaka?" she had a wry smile. "Don't worry. Your warriors helped me get here."

"My—?" she looked up to see Nuriko and Hotohori smiling from the doorway. Beyond them, the last of the warriors to join the reunion waved.

"Tamahome...?"


	26. Apologies

**Author Fangirling: **Chichiri's celestial powers = handy dandy plot device. Thank you, Ms. Watase.

* * *

The most sensible thing for anyone to do in that moment was to get out of the way. Miaka stood, took a few shakey steps forward, then sprinted out the door towards him. His held his arms open to welcome her, but instead of embracing him, she slowed down to a stop when he was already a few steps behind her. She looked back to lock eyes, and he smiled wryly down to his hands. With no physical form, he had no way to touch her.

They reached out carefully, touching fingertips where Tamahome's would have been. "Miaka."

"Tamahome," she breathed. "Where have you been?"

"I went to keep an eye on Nakago. That's the only reason I left your side," he assured her. "I've been with you this whole time, watching you."

"That must have been so dull for you," she blushed.

"The time went by in an instant."

"Tamahome," she melted into a teary face. "It's been eons for me. I've missed you so much. I wanted to die when you died!"

"No, Miaka. I'm glad you lived. I've been alive through you-I've been able to stay here in a place I loved through you."

"What about your family? Have they been here, too?"

"Their ghosts were here for a time, but they've all moved on by now. The time I got to remain with them here was peaceful," he looked over to his grave among the others, and a heaviness fell over him when he laid eyes on where his remains were buried. Existing in a detached form sometimes made him forget the weight and worry of living, but contemplating the weight of mortality still made him feel like he would be swept away into nothing with no memories of everything he had loved. "It's different for me, Miaka. As long as you're here I'm happy to stay, even as a ghost. I'll follow you wherever you go, in whatever form it takes. My only regret is that I can't hold you anymore. There were so many times I tried to, but you couldn't feel me there. Those are the loneliest moments I've ever known."

"I'm sorry, Tamahome. I'm sorry you've felt lonely. But I knew you were there! I always believed you were."

He grimaced and looked away, fists clenched. "I'd pay so much to be able to hold you right now."

Miaka felt the same, but lied to save his feelings. "Don't say that Tamahome. It's enough for me to finally be able to see you again."

He leaned forward to place his lips on her forehead. Though she didn't feel anything there, warmth flared up inside her chest. They pulled back to look at each other and smile again.

"I hear our secret is out. Tasuki already gave me hell about it the moment he saw me."

"That makes two of us."

Tasuki was unapologetic, but turned around to hide a tear.

* * *

Keisuke and Tetsuya had no such pride as they bawled.

"I wish none of that had to happen to them."

"I wish she could be here with Tamahome."

"I wish I had a girlfriend."

"Quit ruining the moment, man," Tetsuya sniffled back a few last tears, then touched a finger to the earring he was wearing. "Yui? Mayo Sakaki is in the next room over if you want to give her a hard time or anything. She might or might not listen now."

_I don't feel like it right now, but thanks. Anything else you can tell me?_

He frowned. "Such as?"

_Kaika. Do you have any idea if he's alright?_

"Oh! No, the book really only follows the Suzaku end of things," he replied, relieved she didn't ask about Suboshi. "I'm glad to see you're safe again. It sounds like things didn't go well with Nakago."

_Nakago will be looking for me. And for that matter, maybe even Miaka and Mayo._

* * *

"What?" whispered Boushin, who had been next to Yui on the bed. He had overheard her whispering, but in the renewed commotion no one else had. "Do you mean the emperor of Kutou?"

"Yes," replied she. "I refused to cooperate with him."

"Does… does he mean to attack Konan?" he whispered. "You must tell me everything you know, Priestess of Seiryuu."

"Don't worry, I don't think he's very concerned with Konan," she assured him. "But he'll likely try to stop Miaka if she tries to summon Suzaku."

"I'll have you return home with me tomorrow to where it's safe."

She smiled, finding his chivalry cute. "Thank you. The safest place to be might be with the Suzaku warriors. Will they be coming as well?"

"I'll tell them to, yes. I hope you won't mind the fanfare," he saide, then pulled Chichiri aside to ask him about how soon they might be able to leave. After making a few logistic plans, he quietly entered Mayo's bedroom to inform her. "Mayo?" he whispered.

She was asleep, but looked like she was in pain, and even in the dark he could tell she was pale. He approached to make sure she was alright, and reached out to touch her shoulder. The moment his hand grazed her skin, there was a spark of red light and a voice entered Boushin's head.

_I must be summoned._

"Suzaku?" he whispered.

_Divine Ruler of Konan, obtain the scroll._

"The scroll? Chiriko's? Or!" he gasped. "The Universe of the Four Gods scroll? But that burned ages ago."

_The phoenix, diving into the fire, reborn of its own ashes._

"What does that—"

He was interrupted by the door opening and Chichiri poking in. "We're ready out here, you know."

"Oh—Mayo's asleep! Let's have Tasuki carry her."

Chichiri's cloak was spread out as wide as it could be in the narrow, crowded room. They had stacked the table and stools on the bed to make more room, but it was still a struggle for nine live people and three ghosts to try to squeeze into its' parameters.

"Hurray, a free ride!" Nuriko cheered. "Floating around everywhere can be such a drag sometimes."

"Let's just hope I'm not too rusty at this, you know! With this many people, we could wind up on the roof or in the pond."

"Don't even joke," hissed Tasuki.

"Are you ready, Tamahome?" Miaka whispered to the ghost next to her.

Stealing his last glances at his childhood home, he replied, "Yes. It's time for us to move forward. Are you ready to go be the Priestess of Suzaku again?"

With an uncomfortable squeeze, they fell into the floor and spilled out onto a carpet elsewhere.

"Did we make it? Is this the palace?" Yui rubbed her head and looked around at the lattice shutters, unable to see much else yet in the darkness.

"It's familiar," replied Boushin. "But…"

"Your Majesty, your voice haunts my dreams!" an old man bellowed out and groped in the darkness, startling everyone as he stumbled onto the floor. Everyone screamed.

* * *

The following morning, Counselor Shu couldn't wipe a smile off his face, and the young emperor hoped never to see an elderly counselor in his bed clothes ever again.

"I'm so overcome with joy!" he expressed as his servants served the group a grand breakfast. "I had become sick with worry over His Highness, so I retired to my private residence for a time. How wonderous to see he and his mother return safely, and to find that I have three Priestesses as guests in my humble home! Lady Miaka, I cannot express enough of my gratitude to see you've come back to life!"

"He's a rather dramatic one, isn't he?" Nuriko had an awkward smile, and Hotohori nodded.

"It's good to see that my counselor hasn't changed much after all this time. Boushin, be sure to always treat him delicately."

"Yes, Father," he quietly answered from behind his glass, hiding his smile. It tickled him to think that he and his nearly mythical father could have so much to relate to each other on, and that reminded him to ask him later if he had ever spoken with Suzaku. "Counselor Shu, could I ask for your help in arranging our entrance back into the palace? Since we are providing asylum to the Priestess of Seiryuu, I would like to keep the uproar to a minimum."

Yui leaned over to Miaka and whispered. "Why didn't you tell me he was the emperor?"

"Sorry, it never came up."

"Speaking of, who is the other little kid?"

"That's Mitsukake. He's been reborn. How about any of your warriors?"

"I have no idea where they would be."

"Maybe Tomo and Ashitare are Shuuei and Kouei?"

"Don't even joke!" she giggled and backhanded her lightly.

Mayo noticed them from across the table, too hollow to feel contemptuous of how easily their friendship had been renewed. "If you don't mind my suggestion, Counselor Shu, perhaps it would be alright for the Priestess of Suzaku and the Priestess of Seiryuu and I to stay here? I did leave looking for respite from the palace, after all. If you're willing to keep it a secret, that would be the best way to avoid an uproar."

"Ah. Lady Mayo is quite bright," he answered. "Do you find this acceptable, Your Highness?"

"As much as I'd like to announce good news to the rest of the cabinet, that might be a wiser decision. Miaka, in light of our recent discussions, do you find this acceptable?"

She nodded. "I will present myself when you ask me to, Your Highness. For the time being, we'll be well taken care of here," she said, alluding to the warriors Counselor Shu did not have the ability to see.

"Very well. Tasuki, Chichiri, I ask that you return to the palace with us today to make preparations."

As if it was perfectly acceptable because the priestesses would not be attending, Counselor Shu saw to it that uproar was caused prior to the emperor's parade back into the palace grounds. The celebration very soon gave way to a lecture, which Boushin accepted. Every counselor wanted to get a word in to make sure the boy understood all of the anxiety they had suffered, and the lecture went on well past lunch.

Chiriko and Houki received some of the lecture as well, but Tasuki and Chichiri enjoyed the warm welcome the entire court still had in store for them. "Had we have brought Miaka, no one would even care about the kid shirking a bit," Tasuki whispered to his fellow warrior.

That secret was not kept long. Counselor Shu, unsurprisingly, could not contain his excitement, and soon the court did indeed forgot about lecturing Boushin because they were worked up over the news.

"Is it true?" Counselor Chou cornered the warriors.

Chichiri spoke on their behalf. "We hope you'll understand we had our reasons for keeping it secret."

"Well? Is she alright?"

"Yes."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Now that we all know, she should come and say hello! We've all missed her."

Relieved that his cabinet was more excited than upset, Boushin got carried away. "She will! And she's going to summon Suzaku!"

Yet another uproar started.

* * *

"It's so good to see you again, Yui," Miaka snuggled next to her as they rested. It was still euphoric to see her old friend again.

"I should feel guilty for keeping you to myself."

"No need, Tamahome's still been with me this whole time."

"Silly," she replied, then projected her voice toward the middle of the room. "Tetsuya, can Keisuke hear us?" Miaka stared back with wide eyes as Yui waited. "I see. We'll just have to speak for them, then."

"Yui, what are you…?"

"Keisuke says he misses you."

"My brother…"

"He says it hurt so much to think you had died… and he missed reading about you… but most of all he missed having his silly little sister around prattling on about some book she read."

* * *

"And Mom, she… she couldn't believe it at first. She thought we were all just playing a joke, or that you ran away for a while under the stress of your exams. She got angry, but she was really just worried. She got so mad at me for saying you were dead. And then she was just numb for a while," Keisuke went on orating to Tetsuya, who repeated his words for Yui to hear.

They waited, then Tetsuya spoke. "She says she's sorry."

"I'm sure she's sorry. She told her warriors she was sorry, but what about us? We've known you even longer than they have."

"She never meant to hurt anyone."

"If she wanted to hide, she should have just come home. I'd have protected her."

"She loves you."

"I love you too, Miaka."

"She misses you, too."

"Come home. Just come home, Miaka."

* * *

"Big Brother."

"Is that Coach?"

Yui and Miaka gasped as Mayo appeared in the door. She was unsteady, but willful. "That's Coach Yuuki, isn't it? Let me speak to him."

They could not reach her in time before she stumbled to the floor, but they were quickly at her side. "Coach!" she yelled. "I'm sorry I left you with such a mess. I just wanted attention! Even though you gave me attention, I just ignored you. You were just a normal part of my normal life."

They paused, and Mayo's tone changed. "…Coach?"

"He says not to worry about it," Yui smiled sympathetically. "He's glad to see you've come around, and he's sorry you're not feeling well."

"Then the book watches me, too," she smiled, half vindicated, half laughing at herself.

"He'll be ready for you when you get back. When _we _get back." Yui clenched Miaka's hand tightly, but she said nothing in return.

"Heh," Mayo smirked. "That's nice of him. I just wanted to make sure I apologized for the trouble I caused, that's all."

"Mayo, you can't be thinking that it's your fate to…"

"Who knows what a vessel's fate is? At least I'm not a Priestess," she eyed her in a cocky way despite her frailty. "The sooner you summon Suzaku, the sooner we'll find out."

"Don't talk like that, Mayo. Here, let me help you back to your room."

"I'm still fine," she pushed her hand away and slowly stood back up. Before she reached the door, she was started by a maid rushing in.

"Lady Miaka! Your presence is requested in the imperial palace."


	27. Curiosity

The rest of the day was a blur. The last thought Miaka could recall going through her mind was _This is it, Miaka. You're about to open the carriage door. Breathe. Smile._

What followed was nothing but a rush of greetings and tears, laughter and adoration, and the apparent news that word had gone around of Suzaku being summoned. It seemed Mayo existence was eclipsed by the reappearance of the original priestess.

"Even if we this is said to be under total secrecy, it is safe to assume that word will reach Kutou," Chiriko cautioned Boushin, who was embarrassed at having blurted out the news earlier. "We'll deal with that when it's appropriate, but it means we're in a hurry to sort out the logistics."

"Right," added Chichiri. "Even if Miaka is still qualified to be the priestess and Suzaku has been unsealed, we still don't have all of the elements necessary for the ceremony."

"Unless dead warriors count."

"Now that you mention it, Tasuki, I don't know."

"Even if it's fine with the others here in spirit, we still don't have the necessary sacrificial item," said Chiriko. "We never did find out the fate of the shinzaho after they were used to summon Seiryuu. I suppose they would still be usable, but we would need to locate them."

"At least we know exactly where they are now."

"We knew exactly where they _were_."

"Maybe they went back to their homes?"

"Unless Nakago collected them for safe keeping."

"Either way, this sounds like we're hittin' the road again. Damn, if only we had thought to check out Sairou a little more while we were there."

Boushin was apprehensive. "This seems like it could take an awfully long time."

"Just so it's clear, you'd be staying here, you know?" Chichiri gave him a waxy smile. "Don't worry, we've done this before. We know what we're doing."

_It'd be nice if that were true. _"I have the sense that looking for shinzaho now would not do us any good."

"Boushin, weren't you the one most eager to do whatever it took to summon Suzaku?"

"It seems silly to travel to foreign lands to rescue the one we all know was set aside for Suzaku. If the stars are moving such that he's already come back into our hands, doesn't it make sense that you don't need to go so far?" he smiled, though he wasn't entirely sure of himself as he rambled. "After all, Miaka, when you were first informed that you were to summon Suzaku, were you told of such journeys being necessary?"

"Well, only to locate my warriors. Three of them were already in the palace anyway, just like the shrine and the Universe of the Four Gods scroll. Back then, I thought even a trip to Mount Taikyoku was difficult, haha!"

"Mount Taikyoku!" he perked up. "Let's go there instead."

"What?" gaped Tasuki. "You wanna see Taiitsukun or something?"

"It doesn't sound like there is much risk of running into her, if you all say she's been missing this long."

"Whoa, wait, and who said anythin' about _you _going? Have you outgrown the palace or something?"

"No! I just… Yes. If it's Mount Taikyoku, I do intend to go. My father once traveled there as well, right?"

"Yes," replied Miaka. "He and Nuriko and Tamahome were escorting me."

"I don't intend to go as a warrior," he assured them. "Rather, as the emperor." So having said, he proudly walked out of their presence. _Better to leave them confused by that than try to explain it._

Walking back through the halls with his first moment alone, Boushin thought back to the strange encounter he had at Mayo's side. _Divine Ruler of Konan, obtain the scroll… the voice said to obtain the scroll. _

"Boushin."

"Oh, father, there you are."

"It's convenient to be able to speak so easily with you now," Hotohori smiled. "You intend to go on a voyage as the emperor?"

"The first time I left the palace, I did so as a curious child. And the second time…"

"…was as a dutiful son," he finished for him proudly, causing the boy to blush.

"This time, I'm certain I need to go because of this role. While I can never expect to be a celestial warrior, I carry the most unique responsibility in the country."

"This is true. Even in death I am still a Suzaku warrior, but there is only one emperor."

"On behalf of the people of Konan, I must accept the item Miaka needs to summon Suzaku."

"Well said, my son. Do you mean the Universe of the Four Gods scroll?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not sure about anything. Have you ever heard voices?"

"Thousands of them. There were many voices in Konan."

"Wow," he let the awe escape his lips. "And you heard them all as you fought on their behalf?"

"No, I heard them when I held audiences!" he laughed.

Boushin sighed. "What I mean is did you ever hear a voice from the heavens… Suzaku himself, perhaps?"

"Boushin," he took a more serious tone. "What did you hear?"

"The phoenix, diving into the fire, reborn of its own ashes," he answered. "Father, I think there is a new Universe of the Four Gods scroll. The original was passed down among our forefathers, correct?"

"Correct," he nodded. "It seems there is something you have a duty to accept. Those holy items were never hidden or given directly to the priestesses. They were gifted to people of Konan, and we've kept them on their behalf. My only concern…" he trailed off as his voice sank.

"Yes? What?"

"…is that you'll have to see Taiitsukun."

"Please, Father. It can't be _that _gruesome, can it?"

* * *

"I… I… I don't think… I want to go…" Juan shook as Boushin presented the idea to him.

"Do you remember her face?"

"No, I just remember the feeling I got from seeing it."

"Come on, Juan. Aren't you Mitsukake again?"

"I am, but I'm still Juan!" he looked like he'd cry. "And Juan is a coward!"

"Reincarnated warrior or not, he's still only an 8-year-old child," smiled Chiriko. "He can stay and take care of Mayo."

"Fine," he sighed. "Shouka would tease you for this, you know."

"I'm fine with that."

"Let's get ready to go, Chiriko."

"I'll be staying here."

"You too? You don't have the excuse of being a child anymore!"

"No, I would love to see Taiitsukun again," he laughed. "Nuriko and I will be staying to make sure nothing happens to Mayo and the Priestess of Seiryuu while they are in our care. Furthermore, there is the matter of getting ready for the ceremony in secret while the court is still arguing over it. I've been tending to the shrine for the past three years, so it won't be difficult."

"If you insist," he sighed.

* * *

With limited fanfare, he and his party of six (though only four counted as mouths to feed) left for Mount Taikyoku. With their departure, the palace became eerily quiet, many were listless with worry.

Preparations for the ceremony barely took Chiriko half a day. Ansty, he paced around the palace, then killed time by walking over to Counselor Shu's quarters to check on the female guests. Mayo's condition hadn't changed much, and Yui seemed bored.

Chiriko found her reclining against the window. After the initial pleasantries, Chiriko offered to find some books for her to read. "Oh, pardon me," he said. "The language here might be difficult for you."

"Given all this free time, I might be able to manage," she smiled and sighed. "After all, Miaka's barely cleared the suburbs."

"You know that?"

"Yes," she replied, but lied to cover up the updates she was receiving from Tetsuya. "I'm still possessed by a god, you know."

"That's fascinating."

"I look forward to seeing which books you pick out for me."

Such became their pattern. Chiriko brought books of poetry and court drama and historical analects to see what she might not have too much trouble with, and continually asked for information from her wealth of godly knowledge. "Nothing of note," she awkwardly replied. "There's a saying that no news is good news." _Right, Tetsuya? I'll bet you haven't even turned the page yet._

"I see," he nodded in all seriousness.

"Speaking of information," she asked. "Do you have any insight on what may be happening in the Kutou palace since I left?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Then if I may make a request, there is someone I would like you to find for me."

"Yes, Lady Yui?"

"Yui is fine. You had an encounter with Suboshi, didn't you?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," his voice sank.

"And he was probably injured, wasn't he?"

"Yes…"

"I don't hold it against you. Hopefully he's still hiding somewhere in Konan nursing his wounds. Could you have someone find him and bring him here?"

"Under custody?"

"If necessary-most likely. He won't be cooperative, but I would appreciate it if he could see a doctor. Once I get a chance to talk to him, he'll share any information he has about recent happenings in the Kutou court."

"Yes, but Nakago likely already has spies everywhere to hear about Miaka's activities. If we had some way to hear inside of the palace _now_…"

"Suboshi would be helpful for that, if Kaika is still there—and still alive."

"Kaika? Do you mean Amiboshi?"

"Yes. He and Suboshi are able to communicate," she said and pointed to the flesh on her arm to demonstrate. "I'd also like to see if Kaika's alright. Without his help, I wouldn't have escaped."

"I understand. I'll see to it that a search party is sent out for Suboshi."

* * *

The journey to Mount Taikyoku was easier than Boushin expected it to be. "Is that it?" he pointed, and Tasuki looked flabbergasted.

"I swear it wasn't here the last time I looked."

"Taiitsukun only appears to those deemed worthy."

"Shut up, Chichiri, you haven't seen it lately, either."

"Now that you're ghosts, do you spend much time up with here with the Nyan-Nyan?" Miaka brightly asked Tamahome and Hotohori.

"Of course not! I'm always with you!" they shouted back, stopped only by Tamahome's accusing look at Hotohori. The swordsman cleared his nonexistent throat. "When I'm not watching over Houki and Boushin, that is."

"But we _have _seen her since we've taken these forms," continued Tamahome. "She commended us for our service in battle, and even sympathized with us when we were having trouble adjusting to the shock."

"Of death?"

"Of silence," he said. "Shout all we wanted, none of you could hear us."

"In the beginning, we spent a lot of time together, watching over your recovery and following the others to the peace treaty signing. It seems we were in such a weak state that not even Nakago noticed our presence. Once Houki entered childbirth, Nuriko and I left to be at her side, and by the time we returned, Mitsukake had already vanished. He took shape again inside of a couple's embrace some time after that, and the rest of us drifted in separate directions."

"There wasn't any sense of time while we were just watching everything. Without a body to feed and take care of, an instant feels like eternity, but it seems like only yesterday I kissed you. Don't feel bad for us—we're not in any pain, and being able to watch over the ones we love has kept the loneliness away. It's peaceful… but it's not as if I wish this on any of you. As much as I'd like to rejoin you all now in the flesh, you'd have to take care of my diapers, and I'm not comfortable with that."

"We appreciate it, Tama."

Miaka giggled. "You can't stand to have me see you that way, can you?"

"If I can help it, no. At least, not in any way you'd remember. I want you to live a long and happy life, Miaka, and once you're ready, I'll reincarnate with you."

"Careful, Tama. They say that former lovers get born again as twins!"

"You really can't let us have a moment, can you, Tasuki?"

"Hmm, what does that say about Amiboshi and Suboshi? Hahaha!"

"With a dirty mind like yours, it's a wonder you're able to enter Mount Taikyoku with the rest of us, you know."

"Apparently this ain't workin'. Hey Boushin, has anyone ever explained the birds and the bees to you _bandit style_?"

"No—"

"That's quite enough of that!" shouted Hotohori.

"I wanna hear! I wanna hear!" a high-pitched voice in the distance called out, but was quickly quieted. They listened, and after a few moments they heard, "Sorry! I wasn't supposed to say anything yet!"

The group smiled. "We've really made it. We're back!"

"Was that Taiitsukun's voice?"

They all seemed immediately less chipper. "We wish, Boushin. We wish."

* * *

"Have you heard anything?"

_They've laid eyes on the mountain, at least. _

"That's a good sign."

"What is?"

Yui stopped abruptly and turned to see Chiriko in her doorway. "Oh, Chiriko! I was just…"

"Speaking with Seiryuu, it seems."

"Um, yes… it was Seiryuu."

"Hmm."

"I'm… I'm enjoying the last book you brought."

"You priestesses never cease to amaze. Is everyone from your whole so gifted?"

"No, we're all normal people, just like everyone in this universe. In any case, I don't think it's healthy to think on it too much. There shouldn't be so much overlap of our worlds, right? I should probably let you know that it's driven Nakago crazy."

"It's driven him crazy, you said?"

"Yes. For all I know or could understand, he's gotten some fanatical ideas about my world which are completely off-base. He even wanted to use me in a Hin ritual to try to go there. You should be concerned about his mental state, and don't let any of his comments bother you."

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind," he replied cautiously. "Though I can't imagine what he might be thinking. After all, Miaka never told me much about her world or how she got here."

"There are some things we're all best not knowing, aren't there?"

"It's quite mysterious," he smiled. "To think that you and Miaka were once the same age! If the differences in time are like that, who knows, perhaps this world was born shortly after Miaka was!"

"Would it work like that? Hmm. Which would be considered older, then?"

"I'd be older than Miaka by now had she have spent some of the past ten years back in her own world. After all, I'm already 23 now! It feels so long since she or I was 19!"

"Oh, what a coincidence! My boyfriend is also 23."

"Boy… friend…? Right. Your suitor," he laughed, then excused himself shortly after. In the hall he sighed, only to notice Juan and Nuriko watching him with highly amused grins. "What?" he asked sharply.

"It's nothing!" sing-songed Nuriko in an obvious lie. Juan tried to keep from giggling as he ran away. Chiriko was flushed red, but head his head up proudly as he marched down to Mayo's room under the pretense of being responsible for checking up on her.

"Chiriko, it's you."

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"I can't even tell if I was asleep, it's fine. What's up?"

"Just glad to see you're in a good mood. Can I do anything for you? Oh! I hear that Miaka and the others have reached Mount Taikyoku."

"Wow. Where did you hear that?"

"It seems Yui found out somehow."

"Oh. Probably Tetsuya."

"Say, Mayo," he lowered his voice. "How did you come to our world?"

"Through the Universe of the Four Gods, of course."

"The scroll?"

"No, it was a book."

"A book?"

"Magic paper shouldn't be so surprising to someone like you. It's just the portal I used to get here. I found out everything by reading it first-that sure could have helped Miaka, couldn't it? Anyway, it's in safe hands now," she yawned. "Maybe I really was asleep."

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I'll take my leave now."

Killing time in Counselor Shu's quarters was no longer settling his nerves.


	28. Taiitsukun

Boushin stood with his party at the painted doors to a grand temple and bubbled with anticipation about what would be on the other side.

"Well," said Chichiri. "We might as well let ourselves in."

The door whined as they forced it open, and inside was the most majestic and pristine hall Boushin had ever laid eyes on. None of the grandest halls in the imperial palace of Konan could compare, the walls seem to sparkle in their decor, and glowing orbs hung throughout the air. There was only one thing that seemed not to belong. Upon seeing Taiitsukun, the young emperor stifled a gag. It would have been one matter if she was simply another old woman, but the juxtaposition of her fancy attire and her sagging face, combined with her quite sour expression, made her a disturbing sight.

Taiitsukun's glare seemed to be cast on all of them, but it was directed at Miaka. Miaka kept eye contact with her (proof of her courage as the priestess, Boushin thought), and she was the first one to speak. "It's been a long time, Taiitsukun."

"Who do you think you are, waltzing in here as if you're welcome?"

The group was taken aback, but Miaka fumbled together a response. "You don't mean you don't recognize me. And if we weren't welcome we wouldn't be able to see this place anyway…"

"Yeah, and we already know the Nyan-Nyan are hidin' out just waitin' for the word to surprise us."

"They know no self-control with guests," she grumbled. "And why should I welcome you when you've tossed aside your roles as priestess and warriors for so long?"

"They didn't toss aside anything by choice. I did that," Miaka said. "I'm the one who should take all the blame! I'm sure you're angry, Taiitsukun, and you should be. But if anyone needs to be punished or lectured, it's me!"

"Miaka, would ten years worth of lecturing really be enough?" she sharpened her glance. "You were not chosen for this role by chance. This world reached out to you and chose you. It is not only your destiny, but also your responsibility to fulfill the hopes of the people of Konan. Instead, you selfishly chose to deceive them-not to mention deceiving your warriors."

"That wasn't even Miaka's idea! I'm the one who said we should hold back and just tell everyone otherwise," protested Tamahome.

"But I'm the one who wanted to make it impossible to summon Suzaku in the first place. Don't take the blame for that, Tamahome."

"You're right to admit your faults, Miaka, but it is difficult to forgive that you've abandoned Konan in its time of peril."

"She never abandoned Konan!" shouted Boushin as he stepped forward. "While it is true that Miaka was deceitful and hindered Suzaku's summoning, her intentions weren't selfish. She was trying to prevent any more bloodshed."

"A foolish idea. The war was too advanced for a mere possibility or impossibility to stop it."

"I think it was foolish, too. But Miaka has spent years here in our world, living among the poor in Konan. Even I cannot say as much! I commend Miaka for her service, meeting the immediate needs of the people. Even if she lost hope in summoning Suzaku, she never lost hope in them."

When Taiitsukun's glare was focused entirely on him, Boushin felt a chill down his spine and regretted so brazenly opening his mouth. With a grunt, she looked up to Hotohori. "He's your spitting image. You must be proud."

"Indeed," he beamed.

"You too, Miaka. What a fortunate priestess to be so favored by _two _emperors."

"Yes," she blushed. "I'm afraid Yui hasn't been so fortunate."

"And? Do you intend to summon Suzaku for her sake?"

"If it will help…"

"You mustn't doubt the Priestess of Seiryuu's wisdom in the matter of her final wish. Nakago, however, will be a concern if you seriously intend to summon Suzaku."

"I do," she nodded. "And I hope that you won't doubt my wisdom either! These years have taught me the true value of my wishes."

"I'm afraid you may not yet know the extent of their influence on this world," she shook her head gravely. "Ten years ago it would have been a simple matter to wish for the peace and safety of Konan. Now Konan's fate is tightly wrapped with that of other lands."

"So? Do we summon Suzaku or don't we?" growled Tasuki. "A little less cryptic guidance would'a been helpful back then! And how about when we came lookin' for advice later, huh? How come you wouldn't give it to us then?"

"I never abandoned you, you foolish, narrow-minded bandit! You merely came looking for a miracle you had no hope in. I could not appear to any of you under those circumstances. It wasn't until someone had fully expectant hope in Suzaku's revival that he was able to break free."

"Someone… do you mean Mayo?" gasped Miaka.

"Yes. She encountered the Universe of the Four Gods in the same way you did. Like when you first came here, she was convinced this world could make her wishes come true. Suzaku needed that hope to thrive. In order for him to be summoned and make your wishes come true, you need to retain that same spirit you once had."

"I was such a child then. How can I…?"

"Perhaps you could let yourself be influenced by those with that spirit. Most August Emperor of Konan, step forward, if you will."

Boushin did as he was told, keeping a proud posture. Strangely, drawing closer to Taiitsukun made her seem less frightening—though not entirely so. She looked him up and down once more, and then she made a grunting approval. An instant later later, a scroll appeared in her hand.

"The Universe of the Fours Gods scroll!" Chichiri gaped at it. "There was a second one?"

"Oh, don't go acting like you know everything since you spent a little time here ages ago," she rolled her eyes. "This is the original scroll—the very one that Miaka ceremoniously chucked to its ashy demise ten years ago."

"Why didn't you tell me you could do that all along?"

"Was I supposed to tell you exactly where each of your warriors were, too? Gods, Miaka, how much help do you expect from me? No! I couldn't do this. This scroll was reborn from the ashes once Suzaku was unsealed. As he regained his strength, these pieces came together as well. In order to follow its due course, it must be bestowed to the emperor before given to a priestess once again. I take it this is what you've come for, right, Your Highness?"

"Yes."

"Then on behalf of Konan, please accept it."

He could tell it should be received with the utmost formality, but Taiitsukun's treatment made him unsure whether he should accept with his royal dignity or if he should grovel before her. A nervous look over his shoulder to his father didn't give him any indication, only a nudge to take it. He received it in both hands with an awkward "thank you."

Taiitsukun roared in laughter. "When is the last time anyone has thanked me around here? Take it, and do as you see fit. If you can accept Miaka as the Priestess of Suzaku, then it is yours to give her."

"Thank you. I will."

"Psst. Hey, Taiitsukun, can we come out now?"

"You wouldn't wait even if I said not to."

"Hurray!" came little echoed voices throughout the hall as the orbs poofed into Nyan-Nyan. Boushin was so startled that he screamed and nearly dropped the scroll. They gathered around, eager to make his acquaintance.

Above the commotion and multitude of hugs, Taiitsukun addressed Miaka once more. "Welcome back."

* * *

"Tell Yui they met with Taiitsukun and have a new Universe of the Four Gods scroll," said Keisuke as he turned the page. Tetsuya relayed the information, and exchanged a few other cooing comments to the earring his held. Keisuke shot him a look, then glanced outside. They had been at this the whole afternoon and it was now after dark, but the sky was a rosy color that foretold snow.

Only a few hours for him, but how many days and weeks for Yui and Miaka? He knew from his previous experiences in the book that time moved at different, inconsistent rates. If he read that Miaka was waiting somewhere for hours, it would pass in the time it took him to read that sentence, but when he was able to speak to her through the hair she left behind, time moved at the same pace. Recalling that, he almost wished both that Tetsuya and Yui would keep talking so time wouldn't move so fast, as well as wishing they would just shut up so that the other characters could hurry up and summon Suzaku.

Not that he wished for that entirely, either.

"You know, Tetsuya, the last time I got to talk to Miaka… the last time I heard her voice myself, I told her not to summon Suzaku. You remember that?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You remember why, right?"

"Because the priestess is a sacrifice, doomed to be consumed by the beast god."

"Aren't you worried about Yui? She still has one wish, and she seems hellbent on using it."

"Maybe that's exactly why I'm not so worried," he smiled. "She's changed. She's got more willpower this time around."

"That's why I'm worried about Miaka. She's been carrying fear and pain all this time. Even now, she's only agreeing to summon Suzaku because she's been pushed. Even if she doesn't summon Suzaku, Sakaki is still his Vessel, and we don't even know…"

"Whoa, chill, Keisuke," interrupted Tetsuya with a hand on his shoulder. "I know you feel some responsibility for her as a teacher, but you can only do so much."

"It's not a matter of not providing guidance or anything. It's my fault she got her hands on the book in the first place."

"Well, yeah, that was stupid. But thanks to that, we know Miaka is alive. It's not all bad, right? And see? Sakaki's even mellowed out a bit there. This book taught her some discipline."

"Somehow that's not helping," he forced a smile. "I feel useless just sitting here and reading."

"You want to take a trip to Morioka or something?"

"You think it would help?"

"Not a bit."

"You're right. Has Yui said anything about what she'll use that last wish on?"

"Not that I've heard… hang on," he said and turned back to the earring. "What? Nakago did? For who?"

"What's going on? Tell me!"

"Nakago knows what's up."

* * *

Once Boushin had a chance to adjust, he found the Nyan-Nyan quite enjoyable. Their contrast with Taiitsukun was nearly laughable. Just as pleased as they were to meet him, they also bombarded their old friends with chatter.

"Wow, Miaka! Your scar has been completely healed!"

"Yes! Mitsukake healed me the other day. Did you know he's been reincarnated?"

"We still watch over all of you, of course we knew that!"

"We're just sad we can't do more to help."

"Psst," one whispered. "Tamahome! There _is _something we _can _do."

"Still no girlfriend, Tasuki?"

"Hell no! Women are a pain! Especially that one!"

Miaka laughed along with the Nyan-Nyan, though only half-sure Tasuki was joking. At the touch of a hand on her shoulder, however, the laughter stopped. The touch was familiar, but shouldn't have been there. Looking over her shoulder slowly, she saw Tamahome in physical form.

"Tamahome? But how…"

"Nothing special, Nyan-Nyan is just letting me use her body. What do you think?"

"Tamahome!"

Almost as soon as she had cried out, she buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Tamahome had a bittersweet smile as she sobbed against him, and he stroked her head before tightly embracing her. At last he could use all his senses instead of merely watching and listening—he could smell her hair and feel her breath.

The others quieted as they watched. The young emperor felt a bit embarrassed and looked away, and noticed the soft expression on his father's face. "Will you borrow one of the Nyan-Nyan as well, Father?" he asked lowly.

"It's not necessary for me to do so."

"Even if it's not in the same way, Miaka still loves you too. And you…"

"I care about Tamahome as well. As a man, I will not intrude."

"As I man, I would think you should want to intrude."

"Someday, my son, you'll understand," he smiled. "At times, love is expressed in sacrifice, but even in that pain it is joyful. If your mother was here, however, I would not show such restraint."

Tamahome held Miaka's face as they stared into each other's eyes wordlessly. Miaka savored his warmth as they drew closer, puckering their lips. Just before they would have touched, however, a disembodied voice interrupted them. "No kissing allowed! Nyan-Nyan's lips are chaste!"

The couple frowned, and they stepped away from each other with dignity. "We should be headed back to the capital," Miaka said. "Nyan-Nyan, will we be seeing you again?"

"You betcha!" one said as she pulled herself out of Tamahome, leaving behind the pale frame of a spirit. "We'll help all your warriors to be present for the summoning."

"Aw," said Tasuki. "Now he really is a little ghost."

"I might not have fists anymore, Tasuki, but I still have life force blasts."

"Control yourselves, if you please," Taiitsukun said. "All that is necessary to summon Suzaku now, Miaka, is to return to the shrine with your warriors and Mayo Sakaki and conduct the ceremony as usual. However, you must practice wisdom going forth."

"I will."

"That goes for all of you," her glare caught the whole room, but Boushin felt it was especially directed at him.

"Um, Miaka," he said. "Would it be alright if I wait to give you this scroll until the ceremony?"

"It's your choice when you give it to me," she bent down to his eye level as she replied. "I can't blame you for wanting to hold onto it since you've probably heard about how butterfingered I can be."

"I'm not accusing you of not being careful! I simply… "

"It's alright," she smiled.

* * *

The way back to the palace was easy, perhaps so much so that it felt odd. "This is just like old times, isn't it?" Miaka said, as if to fill the air. "Getting lectures and gifts from Taiitsukun, and visiting with the Nyan-Nyan, and making our way back to the palace, where we can expect a big dinner every night. And being together with everyone again! It's like a dream, isn't it, Chichiri?"

"A bit, you know."

"We'd talk about how much we missed the little things like that. You remember?"

"I remember."

"Do you ever talk about what your lives were like before you all met?" Boushin asked. She and Chichiri looked startled for a moment, then cast their glances away. "I'm sorry. I guess not."

"Being Suzaku warriors was the time of our lives," Tasuki smiled to him. "And besides, why would I wanna talk about my stupid sisters or why would Miaka want to talk about people she'll never see again and why would Chichiri want to talk about how things went sour with his best friend and his girlfriend? Ha! If anything, all the warrior business just gives us a way to forget!"

"That doesn't mean you all didn't try to forget that either."

"Boushin, don't mumble under your breath," Hotohori scolded him, eliciting an immediate apology. "I don't think you're helping much, Tasuki."

"What's t' help?" he shrugged.

"I understand, it's not my place to ask," said Boushin. "I can never fully understand what the experience meant to you all. I am not a celestial warrior; I am the emperor of Konan. Perhaps Counselor Chou has been right all along. It's better for me to look at what _I _can do and not be so dependent on a legend anymore. That's what you figured out too, isn't it, Father?"

Hotohori beamed and nodded, but Tasuki interjected. "Yeah, and we all see how well that worked for him."

"Tasuki, you're asking for a swift punch in the mouth, you know."

"If I weren't a ghost, I'd volunteer."

"What can I say, I'm rough, and that's how I deal with things," he shrugged again. "I'm sure I'm not the _only _one feeling a little concerned that things are just going to go the way they did ten years ago."

The group was less talkative thereafter.


	29. A Rejection

By the time they made their way back into the capital and caught sight of the palace, Boushin was starting to feel a bit hungry from the journey. It was tempting to stop before reaching home, but the fanfare he would receive almost sounded like it would be welcoming. After all, this time he was triumphantly returning. Wouldn't all his counselors be so proud of him for attaining the Universe of the Four Gods scroll? He pictured the looks on their faces as he would hold it up proudly for them to see.

Upon arriving, there was indeed a hubbub of voices reacting to his return. "His Highness has arrived!" "His Highness, he's finally returned!" "Bring him into the throne room immediately!" he heard. He hurriedly shuffled into the throne room behind the guards who met him. Not even the Priestess of Suzaku and her warriors were sparred a moment's greetings. It quickly became apparent that something was wrong.

With as quick a deep breath as he could muster, and he took his seat. "Please inform me what has happened in my absence."

"Your Highness," Chiriko stepped forward with a box inscribed with the Kutou royal seal. Opening the box to reveal a letter, he spoke of its contents. "You have received an invitation to visit the emperor of Kutou."

"Nakago?" he stood in shock. "He must have heard about our plans to summon Suzaku!"

"Based on the inferences in the letter, we fear you are correct," added Counselor Chou. "You've been invited to discuss security measures on behalf of an occupied territory. To me, this seems to be saying all but to cease and desist."

"You cannot go, Your Highness!" insisted Counselor Shu. "If you deliver yourself into his hands, he'll merely use you as a ransom."

"He _must _go," Counselor Chou argued back. "Under the treaty conditions, Konan is in no position to refuse. If the invitation is ignored, it will be taken as contemptuous. If he wasn't blatant in mentioning Suzaku, then we'll treat it as it is written. Your Highness, you'll have to be careful to stay out of whatever traps he is setting out."

"You're going to trust a child to stay out of his traps? No one has ever stayed out of his traps!"

"We should start setting some of our own if we ever hope to be a independent state again!"

"Forget that, let's have them summon Suzaku to deliver us before we even craft a response to the invitation!"

"That would be an invitation to full out war!"

"Silence, please!" Boushin shouted, and then asked for the letter to read himself. Indeed, it was a politely worded veil over Nakago's true message: _You had better not summon Suzaku without permission_. But why him, instead of inviting the Priestess of Suzaku herself? That had to be his true aim, right? "Hasn't he already done enough to interfere?" he shouted and banged his fist which held the letter. "If he could have simply stayed out of Konan's affairs in the first place, Suzaku would have long since been summoned with nothing to do with Kutou! It's because of his meddling that Konan is taxed to poverty now, what more complacency can he expect?"

"Your Highness," Counselor Shu looked teary eyed. "You use such grown up language now."

"You shouldn't doubt him because he's young," added Chiriko. "How do you propose to respond then? Defiance?"

Silencing himself, the emperor looked back over the letter. Under the guise of diplomacy, Boushin felt he was left little room to refuse. "I believe Counselor Chou is correct. We must accept this as an official invitation. Please draft a letter in response thanking him and informing him that Counselor Ou and I will visit him at the Kutou palace, as requested."

"Y-Your Highness, the invitation said nothing about me."

"He couldn't expect a child emperor to accept an official visit by himself," he replied. "And for his true aims, he couldn't expect us to leave the Suzaku warriors completely out of this."

"Alright!" shouted Tasuki. "Let's suit up and get ready to go see another old friend!"

"Um, Tasuki, I didn't mean…" he trailed off, then took a deep breath to regain his composure. "We can't let a diplomatic meeting resemble an ambush."

"Which means the rest of us are being asked to stay here," clarified Miaka. "Boushin, is this meant just to protect me? I'm not afraid of him."

"I'm comforted to hear you said so. As the emperor of Konan, I cannot be afraid of him either. If… if it will make you all feel more secure, though," he started to have a quiver in his voice, "I will bring my father's sword with me."

"In that case, Your Highness," Counselor Chou spoke gruffly, "Let's have a defense lesson."

* * *

The lesson was partially an excuse for a private strategizing session. "His main goal is to prevent Suzaku from being summoned," the man said between the clanging of blades. "If that's what he wants, then give it to him! We've survived without Suzaku for hundreds of years as it is. Use it as a negotiating point. If he'll grant our sovereignty back, then we'll pledge not to have the god summoned."

"That… that might work. We could lower the taxes again."

"Whatever you do, don't mention the priestesses if he doesn't know about them already! We can probably assume he's heard about Lady Mayo if he's acting now, but Lady Miaka might still be a mystery to him. Not likely, though."

"He might also want Lady Yui back."

"Lady Yui?" he stopped and gawked. "Who is _that _one?"

"The—the Priestess of Seiryuu…" he trailed off as he watched his counselor's expression flare. "She's returned as well..."

"And what? Is she hiding out in Shu's place too? How many of them does he have over there?"

"Only three! That I'm aware of…"

"This is ridiculous! If it's at all possible, try to pretend you've never heard of this one. Only let on that you know what he reveals he knows. But who even knows what to make of this madness anymore? Who ever thought that foreign girls falling out of the sky was ever going to help anyone?"

"I… I suppose when you put it that way that it does seem rather flawed…" he said unconfidently and looked the ground, then inwardly scoffed at his own efforts. _What right does Konan have to ask for sovereignty when it can't even depend on its own people? _"But Suzaku is still destined to save Konan, and was set aside for that!"

"By whom?"

Boushin had no answer.

* * *

When the time came for Boushin to depart for Kutou, he was dressed in his finest robes and seated in a lush horse-drawn carriage. Chiriko, also in his best regalia, sat beside him. As they solemnly started the journey, the furthest Boushin would ever be from the palace, Chiriko asked him, "Are you starting to miss your routine at home?"

"This time, I might."

* * *

"Yes, they left already!" Yui groaned seemingly to the air. "I don't think they really know what they're getting into. Sending a child to face Nakago? Come on!"

_Didn't you try to warn them?_

"I have, but that was before I knew what Nakago would do. How can he always stay ten steps ahead of me? Oh, Tetsuya, I… I'm so angry at myself for how I let myself be strung along by him in the past. He turned me into such a monster."

_Well, part of it was that you were a teenager, that can't be helped._ _But it does take an especially evil person to break up the friendship you and Miaka had. How about this, Yui? I'll get some white-out and erase him from this whole book for you._

She giggled, only to be interrupted by Nuriko calling out her name as he floated in the room. She turned and asked what was wrong.

"Did you really ask for the guards to go out and find Suboshi? Much less bring him here?"

"Did they find him?" she immediately started for the door to go see. No sooner than the ghost could answer, she heard angry screams from the front hall—unmistakably her warrior. When she caught up to the sounds, she saw him being wrestled half-way to the ground, covered in raw skin and burns, and it seemed the guards had struggled with him all the way to the capital. "Suboshi!"

"Lady Yui," he stopped struggling and stared as if all of the anger had just been sucked out of him—momentarily. "The Suzaku scum really did kidnap you!"

"I didn't get kidnapped, they've been treating me fine here," she dismissed his concerns as she knelt down next to his head, dangled above the floor as he was held back by his arms. "Look at you," she sounded pained as observed his wounds. "You've suffered so much."

"It's only because your captors tried to _kill me_!" he hissed and whipped his head around as he yelled the last couple words, only to tear open some of his fragile skin. Even he could not help but wince in pain, and Yui was alarmed.

"Suboshi! Hang on, we'll have them take care of you, alright? Just don't struggle anymore."

"I… I can help him," Juan meekly opened his mouth. He had been silently watching the commotion. Stepping forward, he lifted his left and used his celestial power, as if it were second nature. Suboshi quieted in the warmth, and sank to the floor as he fell asleep.

* * *

When he awoke, he found himself in a sunny room with lush décor—albiet he was tied to the bed. Just as Suboshi opened his mouth to shout curses upon whoever had done that to him, Yui entered the room with some food and smiled as she noticed he was awake. That smile immediately calmed him, and as she explained why she had escaped to Konan under the Suzaku warriors' care, she unrestrained him so he could sit next to her and listen. He was strangely silent as he was completely engrossed in what she told him—that Nakago had been planning something so dastardly all along, and that Kaika's condition was unknown after he had used his celestial powers to help her escape. They both had the same idea to try to trace a message to him on Suboshi's arm, but there came no reply.

They sat in silence for a few moments letting their predicament wash over them. Never had Suboshi felt so powerless. "You know," he said. "I can never go back to the life I had now."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault you came back."

"I had to…"

"But it's not _your _fault!" he shouted at her. She winced and slightly leaned away, so he shied back a bit. "It's alright. It's not a life I'd care to go back to anyway. I had influence and power, but it was like living in a void. Without my brother, and then without you, I had nothing. Do you understand that emptiness?"

"Yes," she frowned. "When I thought Miaka died, it was like a piece of me went with her. She left a hole inside of me. But," she stared off with a faint smile. "I found a couple people to try to fill it. It's not the same, but they kept my life from being a void."

"Nothing could ever be the same. Nothing in this world could replace you, Lady Yui. And as long as you're in this world, I'll never let anything take you away again. Not Nakago, not even Seiryuu!"

"Suboshi, you…" she edged away as he leaned towards her, staring her down. "You're making me nervous."

"I don't want to live this life anymore if you're not going to be in it."

With only a tight pocket of air between them, he leaned towards her more aggressively, forcing her against the backboard of the bed. Suboshi reached for Yui's cheek to stroke her hair back, revealing the single earring she was wearing. He sharpened his glance at it, then grabbed it. "Is this Nakago's? It makes me sick to my stomach to see it on you."

"No, I got rid of that!"

"Then get rid of this too!" he yelled and crushed it, pinching her earlobe hard enough to make her shriek. The chunks and dust fell between his fingertips as he let go, and dragged his fingertips along her chin bone. Thumbing her lip as he breathed the scent he still recognized from her ribbon, he said, "I love you, Lady Yui." He then forced a kiss on her.

She tried to lean away, but had no where else to go. _Tetsuya!_ she mentally screamed. _Tetsuya, help me!_

Mustering all of her strength, she squeezed her hands between them and pushed him off, and once her breath was her own again she shouted his name. "Tetsuya!"

"Who is _that_?" he snapped.

"Tetsuya! He's the one I love! He's filled my void in a way no one else ever will. Tetsuya! I love you! Tetsuya!" The more she screamed, however, the more the silence weighed down on her. _Tetsuya, answer me!_

"Do you _enjoy _tormenting me?" he tore the canopy off the bed in frustration. "Why would you flaunt that and tell me you'd rather I just be void forever? I… haha…" he rose unsteadily, laughing at himself for lack of a better reaction. "I am isolated from this entire world. I never had any hope of having either of you back, did I? Neither you nor my brother even remember I exist. This… _this _is what it means to be alone! Hahaha!"

"If you're going to be such a maniac, maybe you should be alone!"

"Of course you should be mad at me!" he roared back. "It's my fault you're even back here. Seiryuu used my loneliness as a tool to call you back here. I was used, and it's my fault you'll ever suffer again! If seeing me miserable brings you any consolation, then fine," he sneered. "Take all the consolation you need. I still love you! And if loving you means only pain, then at least there is something to fill the void."

She shook her head at him and a stubborn expression.

"And because I love you, I don't care what happens to me. I'll go kill Nakago so you and my brother can be safe. And then I'll go after Seiryuu himself."

"You can't kill Nakago! Not unless you want your homeland to be swept into war again—"

"Kutou can burn for all I care!"

With that, he darted towards the window, but he stopped with one foot still in the room. With a calmer glance back at her, he asked lowly, "Well? Are you going to have your Konan guards and warriors stop me?"

"Do as you please."

He stared a moment longer, inwardly begging for her to say something more. Anything more! Instead she let the absence of words fill the room, and he made up his mind. "Good bye, Lady Yui. I'll still make this up to you." He propelled himself through the window, and she waited in silence until she was sure he was gone.

"Tetsuya," she said under her breath in a pitiful whine that bordered on tears. "Why won't you answer me?"

* * *

Across the hall, Mayo and Juan listened cautiously to Yui and Suboshi's raised voices. Their silence was only broken when the boy coughed. Mayo was relieved and took that as a chance to speak. "Sounds like they're having some issues over there, huh?"

"Yes…"

"It's not really his fault, though," she had a sheepish smile. "It's mine. I practically threw Yui back into this world. That's what made the most sense to try to get Suzaku back."

"How did you know we needed Suzaku?"

"He called out to me and told me he needed me," she smiled. "Maybe I've been taken advantage of, but I want to see this through to the end. I'll hang on. Thanks for taking care of me."

Juan merely coughed in response.

"It makes me wonder, though," she gazed off. "Have my parents noticed I'm missing? They might have found out I skipped school, so they're probably mad at me. And if they're worried about me, they're probably just yelling at each other. No, they wouldn't be. They're probably just mad at me."

"That can't be true!" protested Juan.

"No," she smiled and shook her head. "I'm doing them a favor by freeing up their lives again. Now even if they get a divorce, they'll have nothing between them to bother them. And I'll probably be a big deal at school for a while, but they'll soon enough forget about me."

"I'm sure they want to see you again! Please don't say you'll be forgotten!"

"Well, you tell me. Do you think they'll remember me here in the Universe of the Four Gods?" she said calmly and gave him a peaceful smile, though inwardly she pleaded for him to say yes.

"You—" he started, but then doubled over into a coughing fit.

"Ju-Juan?" she stroked his back. "Are you okay? Hey!" Rolling him over on his side, Mayo saw that his face was terribly flushed. "You… you used your power again today, didn't you? You have to stop! You may have been a Suzaku warrior before, but you have the body of a child now!"

"I have to," he breathed. "I don't want to see… anyone else suffer… because I wasn't there…"

"You won't be, at this rate! Stop forcing yourself!" she protested. "Wouldn't it make Shouka sad if you never came back again? And just think how sad Boushin and all your old friends will be! They want _you_, not your power!"

"Your family… will be sad, too… please don't give up…"

She shook and stuttered on a response, and chose to ignore him. "Don't say anymore. Just stay here and rest."


End file.
